risk assessment of bear – human interaction at campsites ... · renewable resources. this project...

Risk Assessment of Bear – HumanInteraction at Campsites on the

Tatshenshini River and Lower Alsek River,Yukon, B.C., and Alaska

BC Parks, U.S. National ParksService,

Parks Canada, Yukon Department ofRenewable Resources,

Tatshenshini – AlsekPark,

Glacier Bay NationalPark and Preserve,

Kluane National Parkand Reserve,

Parks and OutdoorRecreation Branch,

Smithers, B.C. Yakutat, Alaska Haines Junction, YT Whitehorse, YT

Prepared by:

A. Grant MacHutchonWildlife Biologist, MSc.Comox, B.C., Canada

August 2000

Campsite Risk Assessment, Tatshenshini River and Lower Alsek River

A. Grant MacHutchon, Wildlife Biologist i

SUMMARY

Campsites along the Tatshenshini River and lower Alsek River from Shaw’ashe/Dalton Post,Yukon to Dry Bay, Alaska were evaluated for their potential for bear – human interaction,including displacement of bears from feeding areas and direct bear – human encounters.

Several qualitative indicators were used at campsites to estimate the potential for bear – humaninteraction including an evaluation of 1) seasonal habitat potential, including the presence andrelative abundance of bear foods, 2) bear travel concerns, such as terrain features that mightforce a bear to travel through a campsite, and 3) visibility and other sensory concerns, that is,the ability of bears and people to detect each other.

Thirty-nine campsites and two trails were identified, assessed, and rated. A number of specificmanagement recommendations were made concerning campsite use, and some generalmanagement strategies were suggested to help reduce the potential for bear – human interactionand conflict on the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River.


A. Grant MacHutchon, Wildlife Biologist ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SUMMARY........................................................................................................................................................................I

TABLE OF CONTENTS.................................................................................................................................................II

LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................................................................ III

LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................................................... III

1.0 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................................................4

2.0 BACKGROUND....................................................................................................................................................5

2.1 BEAR – HUMAN INTERACTION ..................................................................................................................... 5

3.0 STUDY AREA........................................................................................................................................................7

4.0 METHODS .............................................................................................................................................................9

4.1 GENERAL BEAR ECOLOGY .............................................................................................................................. 94.2 CAMPSITE ASSESSMENT ................................................................................................................................. 9

5.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION.........................................................................................................................11

5.1 GENERAL BEAR ECOLOGY ............................................................................................................................ 115.2 CAMPSITE ASSESSMENTS.............................................................................................................................. 145.3 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CAMPSITE USE................................................................................................. 19

6.0 OTHER MANAGEMENT ISSUES & PROPOSED STRATEGIES ................................................................29

6.1 INTERAGENCY CO-OPERATION ................................................................................................................... 306.2 HUMAN FOOD AND GARBAGE MANAGEMENT ......................................................................................... 326.3 PUBLIC EDUCATION AND AWARENESS...................................................................................................... 376.4 HUMAN USE .................................................................................................................................................... 406.5 BEAR SIGHTINGS, ENCOUNTERS & INCIDENTS......................................................................................... 41

7.0 LITERATURE CITED.............................................................................................................................................48


A. Grant MacHutchon, Wildlife Biologist iii

LIST OF FIGURES

NOTE: (NOT AVAILABLE DIGITALLY)Figure 1. The location of the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River within the Yukon, British

Columbia and Alaska…………………………………………………………Figure 2. The location of campsites evaluated along the Tatshenshini River in the Yukon and

B.C. to the Tkope River tributary. .................................................................................................Figure 3. The location of campsites evaluated along the Tatshenshini River and lower Alsek

River in B.C. from the Tkope River to the Alaska border...............................................................Figure 4. The location of campsites evaluated along the lower Alsek River in Alaska

LIST OF TABLESTable 1. Documented and potential bear foods along the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River.

Each food type was classified as a major, minor, or possible bear food for three seasons............12Table 2. The location of campsites evaluated along the Tatshenshini River and lower Alsek

River, Yukon, B.C., and Alaska................................................................................................15Table 3. Ratings for bear travel concerns, visibility concerns, other sensory concerns, seasonal

habitat potential, and the seasonal potential for displacing or encountering bears atcampsites along the Tatshenshini River and lower Alsek River. L = Low, L-M = Low toModerate, M = Moderate, M-H = Moderate to High and H = High. .........................................17

Table 4. Management recommendations for campsites evaluated along the Tatshenshini Riverand lower Alsek River, Yukon, B.C., and Alaska. .....................................................................21

Table 5. Significant bear – human interactions reported for the Tatshenshini River and AlsekRiver, Yukon, B.C., and Alaska in permit system reports written by U.S. National ParkService staff, 1995-1998. .........................................................................................................34

Table 6. The suggested time-frame for the implementation of the proposed bear managementstrategies, discussed in detail in sections 6.1 to 6.5, for the Tatshenshini River and lowerAlsek River, Yukon, B.C., and Alaska. .....................................................................................44


A. Grant MacHutchon, Wildlife Biologist 4

1.0 INTRODUCTIONTatshenshini-Alsek Park, B.C., Kluane National Park and Reserve, Yukon, Wrangell St. EliasNational Park and Preserve, Alaska, and Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaskatogether form one of the largest protected area complexes in the world (Liddle 1994). Glaciersor non-vegetated mountain massifs cover a large portion of this protected area and are unusedor unavailable to bears. Only 18% of Kluane National Park are vegetated (Grey 1987 inHegmann 1995) and glaciers cover approximately 50% of the Haines Triangle (Lofroth andMahon 1993). The Tatshenshini River and Alsek River valleys represent a large proportion ofavailable bear habitat within the parks through which they flow, consequently, their importanceto bears is high (Fuhr and Edie 1990, Simpson 1992, Herrero et al. 1993). Minimizing humaninduced displacement and mortality of bears along these rivers will be important to the long-termconservation of bears.

The Tatshenshini River and Alsek River are similar to many rivers in western North America inthat seasonally important habitat for grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) and black bears (Ursusamericanus) are on valley bottoms near riparian areas. Humans also use these habitats forrecreation and travel. This habitat use overlap creates the potential for indirect and direct bear– human conflict. Indirect conflict includes the exclusion of bears from important habitat and thealteration of habitat. Direct conflicts are negative bear – human interactions that may result inthe destruction or translocation of bears or human injury and property damage.

Recent increases in the popularity of the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River as wilderness riverdestinations coincided with world-wide publicity generated to protect the Tatshenshini Riverfrom mining development in the early 1990's. Both rivers have become internationallyrenowned among river recreationists (Askey and Williams 1992, Dill et al. 1997) and since1989 recreation on both rivers has increased substantially (Askey and Williams 1992, Hegmann1995). Grizzly bear research in Kluane National Park has found that the river travel season ofhumans coincides with the seasonal movement of grizzly bears to low elevations (McCann1998). This overlap in use of the major river valleys presents considerable potential for bear –human interaction and conflict (McCann 1994). McCann (1994) recognized the need forinformation on campsite use by both humans and grizzly bears and recommended that campsiteuse be evaluated. Subsequently, in 1996 a risk assessment of bear – human interaction atcampsites was done along the upper Alsek River from Serpentine Creek on the DezadeashRiver to Lowell Lake (Wellwood 1997, Wellwood and MacHutchon 1999a). In 1998 and1999, risk assessments were completed for the rest of the Alsek River in Kluane National Park(Wellwood and MacHutchon 1999a, c) and for the B.C. portion of the Alsek River inTatshenshini-Alsek Park (Wellwood and MacHutchon 1999b).

This project was initiated to do a campsite risk assessment for the Tatshenshini River and lowerAlsek River from Shaw’ashe/Dalton Post, Yukon to Dry Bay, Alaska. It is a collaborativeproject among the agencies responsible for managing visitor use of these two rivers, including



BC Parks, the U.S. National Parks Service, Parks Canada, and the Yukon Department ofRenewable Resources. This project completes campsite risk assessments for both theTatshenshini River and Alsek River and the work benefited considerably from the earlier workof Wellwood and MacHutchon (1999a, b, c) along the Alsek River.

The objectives of the bear – human interaction risk assessment along the Tatshenshini River andlower Alsek River were to:1. Qualitatively assess and rate the potential for displacement of bears from habitats at and

adjacent to campsites;2. Qualitatively assess and rate the potential for bear – human encounters at campsites; and3. Make management recommendations to reduce the potential for bear – human interactions

at campsites.

2.0 BACKGROUND

2.1 Bear – Human Interaction

The following definitions apply to terms used in this report for bear and human interactions,encounters, or incidents. Bear – human interaction is any of the various activities and theireffects involving bears and humans, including sightings, encounters, and incidents. A sighting orobservation is when a human sees a bear but the bear appears to be unaware of the human.An encounter is when a bear is aware of human presence, regardless of whether the humansare aware of the bear or not. During encounters, bears can be displaced, they may ignorepeople because they are human-habituated, or they may approach people. Displacementrefers to encounters where the bear is displaced and runs or walks away. An incident orconflict is the most serious bear – human interaction. An interaction is considered an incidentwhen there is a charge by a bear toward people, people have to take extreme evasive action inresponse to a bear, people have to use a deterrent on a bear, there is damage or loss ofproperty or food, or a bear makes physical contact with a person.

The individual response of bears to humans can vary and depends on the experience, age, sexand reproductive status of the bear. The past experience of bears with people can have a majoreffect on the future response of bears to people and generally falls into three reinforcementcategories: negative, neutral or positive (McCullough 1982, Gilbert 1989). Bears will avoidareas near people after being harassed, hurt, or injured and past negative experiences withpeople can make bears wary of humans. Cubs may learn to fear people by observing theirmother's behaviour (McCullough 1982, Gilbert 1989, Herrero 1989). However, newlyweaned immature bears usually undergo a curious or testing phase in their life during which theytry to figure out on their own how to relate to other bears and people, irrespective of lessonsthey learned from their mother. During this time, they may investigate and interact with humansand their property regardless of what their mother’s attitude toward people was. Warinesslikely involves both genetic inheritance and learning, however, past experience is probably themost important factor in a long-lived, rapidly learning animal like a bear (McCullough 1982).



Neutral interactions with people can lead to human-habituation. Human-habituation has beendefined as a reduction in the frequency of a response when no consequence is perceived by abear (McCullough 1982, Gilbert 1989). Avoidance or fear responses fade when a threat, painor injury (i.e., punishment) does not follow the stimulus causing the response.

Positive reinforcement for bears around people usually involves the acquisition of human food orgarbage. Poor management of human food and garbage can lead to food-conditioned bears.Food-conditioning by bears occurs when bears have fed on human food or garbage and bearslearn to associate humans and/or human development with potential sources of food (Gilbert1989). Food-conditioned bears have low survival under many circumstances. They arepredisposed to nuisance activity, the garbage they eat may compromise their health, and theybecome dangerous and unpredictable. As a result, they are frequently killed in defence-of-lifeor property, killed in control actions or they are translocated. It is important to make thedistinction between human-habituated bears and food-conditioned bears. A food reward orfood conditioning is not necessary for habituation to occur (McCullough 1982, Gilbert 1989).Situations that can lead to food-conditioning have to be strictly controlled (McCullough 1982;Gilbert 1989; Herrero 1985, 1989). Even a low rate of exposure to human food or garbagewill reinforce problem behaviour in bears (McCullough 1982). Safe human activity aroundbears is very difficult where bears associate people with food rewards. In areas where bearsbecome attracted to human food sources, mortality increases significantly because of controlkills and kills in defence of life or property (BC Environment 1996).

Overall, bears are tolerant of humans and the likelihood of being injured by a bear is low(Herrero 1985, Herrero and Fleck 1990). The main situations leading to human injury by bearsare 1) when food conditioned bears, that are also human-habituated, aggressively approachpeople for food, and 2) when humans suddenly surprise a bear at close range, particularly afemale grizzly bear with cubs. Habituated bears that are not food-conditioned are not usually arisk to humans if people behave in a predictable manner and bears do not learn to associatehumans with food or garbage. In the Yellowstone ecosystem prior to 1970, food-conditionedbears were responsible for most injuries to humans. Yellowstone National Park significantlyreduced conflicts with bears through proper bear proofing of food and storage of garbage. Inrecent years, habituated bears foraging for natural foods near areas of human use have beenresponsible for most bear – human conflicts, but the rate of injury is much lower than it was inthe past (Gunther 1994).

Grizzly bears can be displaced from areas of human activity, but the degree of displacementdepends on the type of human activity, the amount of security cover, an individual bear’s pastexperience with humans, and the relative quality of resources around the area of human activity(McLellan 1990). Grizzly bears that are wary of humans undergo stress, and make temporal orspatial adjustments in their activity patterns in areas of human use (Warner 1987, Gilbert 1989,Gunther 1990, Olson and Gilbert 1994). They may stop using feeding sites near human activityif interruptions are frequent (Gunther 1990). Human-habituation can reduce the time and energy



costs associated with a fear response to people (McCullough 1982, Herrero 1989, McLellanand Shackleton 1989, Gunther 1990).

Adult male bears are typically not as energetically stressed and have greater social dominancethan other bears. Thus, adult males frequently use higher quality foraging habitats that arefarther from humans. Black bears, less dominant sub-adult male grizzly bears and adult femalegrizzly bears, who require more energy for gestation or lactation, are more likely to use naturalhabitats near humans and are therefore more susceptible to habituation or food-conditioning ininteractions with humans. Security conscious females with cubs of the year may be displacedinto lower quality habitats by both adult male bears and humans (Mattson 1990). Habitatdisplacement can lead to use of sub-optimal habitats, which may affect the net energy availablefor growth and reproduction.

Habitat type and quality plays an important role in the number of bear – human interactions(Holcroft 1986, Ciarniello 1996). Densities of bears are generally higher in better qualityhabitats and some of these habitats are also well used by humans for recreation. As a result,people active in these habitats are more likely to encounter or displace bears. In DenaliNational Park "...interactions occurred on river and gravel bars more frequently and on tundraless frequently than expected by occurrences of the habitats within the park" (Albert andBowyer 1991). Albert and Bowyer (1991) recommend that the use of campgrounds in riparianhabitats be restricted in seasons of high bear use and that human activities in good grizzly bearhabitat be reduced to reduce bear – human interactions.

3.0 STUDY AREAThe Tatshenshini River flows approximately south from Shaw’ashe/Dalton Post, Yukon throughthe southwest Yukon and touches on Kluane National Park before entering Tatshenshini-AlsekPark in B.C. (Figure 1). It flows south within Tatshenshini-Alsek Park before turning west andthen joining the Alsek River upstream of the B.C. and Alaska border. In Alaska, the lowerAlsek River flows west and south and west again before it empties into the Gulf of Alaskadownstream of Dry Bay, Alaska. Maximum flows, charged by glacial runoff, are in June andJuly and minimum flows are in late August and September (Peepre and Associates 1992).Shoreline features include alluvial fans and river bars that are commonly used for camping.Alluvial benches with steep cut banks, colluvial slopes and inaccessible channels are present insome locations and restrict shoreline use.

There is a transition from a dry, cold, continental interior climate to a wet, warmer, maritimeclimate along the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River. The rugged St. Elias Mountains form abarrier to storms from the Gulf of Alaska and create a rain shadow effect on the leeward side ofthe mountains (Peepre and Associates 1992). The rivers transect the mountain barrier allowingwarm, wet coastal conditions to penetrate farther into the continental interior.



In Haines Junction, Yukon the mean annual temperature is -3.2oC and the mean annual rainfall is293 mm. In Yakutat, Alaska, the mean annual temperature is 4oC and mean annualprecipitation is 3429 mm (Geddes Resources Limited 1990). Strong winds are common on thelower Tatshenshini and Alsek rivers. These winds develop from storms originating in the Gulf ofAlaska (Wahl et al. 1987 in Peepre and Associates 1992). Localised topography and cold airdrainage from glaciers also influence the direction and intensity of winds (Peepre and Associates1992). Winds frequently blow glacial silt and sand high into the air and dust storms arecommon in some locations, particularly at the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River confluence.

Douglas (1974) described 20 major vegetation communities that occur on the upper AlsekRiver. Forest communities are dominated by white spruce (Picea glauca), balsam poplar(Populus balsamifera), trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides), or willow (Salixscouleriana). Pioneer or seral type shrub and herb communities occur on soils includingaeolian and lacustrine deposits, glacial till and gravel outwash fans. Common shrubs and herbsinclude willows (Salix spp.), soapberry (Shepherdia canadensis), kinnikinnick(Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), horsetail (Equisetum arvense), sage (Artemisia spp.), fieldlocoweed (Oxytropis campestris), bear root (Hedysarum alpinum), northern sweet-vetch(Hedysarum boreale spp. mackenzii), and yellow mountain-avens (Dryas drummondii).

Less is know about the vegetation communities of the Tatshenshini River and lower Alsek River.No detailed vegetation surveys have been done, although several reconnaissance studies havebeen done in the Haines Triangle area, concentrating primarily on the Tatshenshini River. Thesebrief studies included wildlife habitat (Simpson 1992), grizzly bear habitat (Fuhr and Edie 1990,Herrero et al. 1993), and vegetation (Yang and Graham 1994). Increasing coastal influence isevident in the vegetation along the lower Tatshenshini River and lower Alsek River. Whitespruce disappears and vast slopes of thick alder (Alnus crispa) become common. Lush forbmeadows, many dominated by fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium), become increasinglyprevalent on the side slopes. Hydrophilic plants such as devil’s club (Oplopanax horridus) andcow parsnip (Heracleum lanatum) also become common. Other plant species that begin toappear include clasping twisted stalk (Streptopus amplexifolius), salmonberry (Rubusspectabilis), strawberry (Fragaria spp.), and goat’s beard (Aruncus dioicus). Plant speciesthat seem to disappear include soapberry, kinnikinnick, red-osier dogwood (Cornusstolonifera), and highbush-cranberry (Viburnum edule).

Grizzly bears and black bears are common along the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River. Arare bluish colour phase of the black bear has been documented on the Alsek River below theconfluence with the Tatshenshini River (Herrero et al. 1993). Other carnivores include, lynx(Lynx lynx), wolverine (Gulo gulo), wolf (Canis lupus), and red fox (Vulpes vulpes).Ungulates include moose (Alces alces) and Dall’s sheep (Ovis dalli). Small mammals include,arctic ground squirrel (Spermophilus parryii), snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), porcupine(Erethizon dorsatum), and other species of small rodents (Peepre and Associates 1992,Lofroth and Mahon 1993).



4.0 METHODS

4.1 General Bear Ecology

I reviewed available literature pertaining to bear ecology along the Tatshenshini River and AlsekRiver or in ecologically similar areas. From this, I compiled a list of bear foods for interior,coast – interior, and coastal ecological zones of the North. Short-term studies of grizzly bearshave been done in the Haines Triangle area (Simpson 1992, Herrero et al. 1993) and longer-term studies have been done in Kluane National Park (Pearson 1975, McCann 1998). Blackbear food habit information primarily came from MacHutchon (1989) and MacHutchon andSmith (1990). In addition, MacHutchon and Himmer (1997) and MacHutchon (1998a)compiled lists of foods used by bears in similar coastal and coast – interior ecological zones ofnorthern B.C. Plant occurrences in the Tatshenshini River and lower Alsek River wereassessed in the field to produce a list of possible bear foods for the two rivers. Someinformation on the diet of bears in the two valleys was also obtained from scat examination andfeeding sign in the field.

4.2 Campsite Assessment

I identified campsites that were known to the B.C. Parks Ranger, Glacier Bay National ParkRangers, Kluane National Park Wardens, and river guides by conducting interviews. Identifiedcampsites and previously unknown campsites were located in the field using the methods of Dillet al. (1997). I looked for areas that had the following features:• a shoreline with slow moving water or a back-eddy for safe boat moorage,• reasonable access from the river,• a reasonable distance from the shoreline to the site,• clear and flat areas for tents, and• wind and weather protection, clear water, and firewood.

An area was confirmed as a campsite if it had been previously identified as a campsite, it haddisturbed vegetation, surface litter, and/or soils, or it had unnaturally arranged rocks or logsand/or fire scars. Campsites were considered to be ‘frequent use’ or ‘low use’ based on themethods of Jackson and Wright (1998) and MacDougall et al. (1998). A ‘frequent use’campsite met one or more of the following criteria:• campsite use statistics collected by Glacier Bay National Park Rangers indicated frequent

use,• it had been identified as frequently used during interviews,• it had unnaturally arranged rocks or logs,• it had a fire scar(s),• it had human-caused loss of vegetation or compacted soil, or• it had human-made trails.A ‘low use’ campsite met all of the following criteria:• the only evidence of use was a fire scar or unnatural arrangement of rocks,• the campsite had not been identified as frequently used, and



• it had few desirable features, such as wind or weather protection, clear water, or firewood.

All identified campsites were evaluated qualitatively by wildlife biologists Grant MacHutchonand Stefan Himmer for the potential for bear – human interaction. Assessments were donewithin an approximately 250-m radius of campsites. Site descriptions were completed beforerisk ratings were assigned. A freehand sketch of the campsite and surrounding area indicatedthe relative position of habitat types, trails, mark trees, and prominent geographic features.Photographs were taken of the campsite and representative habitats. The Universal TransverseMercator (UTM) co-ordinates of campsites were determined using a Trimble GeographicPositioning System (GPS). We also described and rated the following for each campsite:

Seasonal Habitat Potential – The potential use of the area by bears based on the availability(i.e., distribution and abundance) of food plants and the possible availability of animal foodssuch as salmon or salmon carcasses. We did a broad vegetation description and rated thegeneral availability of individual bear foods as high (H), moderate to high (M-H), moderate (M),low to moderate (L-M), or low (L). We then rated the seasonal habitat potential for feeding ashigh, moderate to high, moderate, low to moderate, or low for spring (mid-May to mid-June),summer (mid-June to mid-July), and late summer (mid-July to late September).

Bear Travel Concerns – Travel concerns included features that would influence the likelihoodof a bear travelling through a campsite or surrounding area. These were geographic featuressuch as valley junctions and constrictions in terrain, including rock outcrops, cliffs, cut banks,steep slopes, moraines, islands, and peninsulas. The location and proximity of wildlife trails andpotential travel routes were recorded. Bear travel concerns were rated as high, moderate, orlow.

Visibility & Other Sensory Concerns – Visibility and other sensory concerns were featuresthat would reduce the ability of bears and humans to detect each other. Visibility concerns werefeatures such as vegetation and topography that limited visibility thus increasing the potential forsurprise encounters. Other sensory concerns were wind and noise from rivers and creekswhich would affect the ability of bears and humans to hear each other. Visibility concerns andother sensory concerns were rated as high, moderate, or low.

Bear Sign – All fresh and old bear sign were recorded as evidence of use. Sign includedtracks, scats, feeding, trails (minor or major), mark trails, mark trees, and beds. Some types ofbear sign were more obvious then others. For example, tracks were more obvious at campsitesthat had sand or mud than at campsites with harder substrates. Some beaches retained trackslonger than others because of less frequent flooding and some campsites had features that madetrails more obvious than at others. Campsites were only examined during the late summerseason consequently we did not assume that little recent bear sign indicated that the campsitehad little use by bears. Because of the inequities in the ability to detect bear sign, it had a lesser



influence on the overall risk ratings than the factors described above. Bear sign was recordedbut not rated.

Following our evaluations, we collectively rated each campsite, relative to other campsites, forboth the potential for displacement of bears and the potential for bear – human encounter. Eachwas rated as high (H), moderate to high (M-H), moderate (M), low to moderate (L-M), or low(L) and integrated all the factors evaluated above.

5.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

5.1 General Bear Ecology

5.1.1 Movement

Bears have the ability to travel almost anywhere they choose, however, they typically use theeasiest route that also provides feeding opportunities. This is typically along valley bottomcreeks and rivers and over drainage divides (MacHutchon 1996). The spring movement ofadult male bears is less predictable because they move widely when they are seeking breedingopportunities. There are some physical barriers, primarily high mountains, which limit the easymovement of bears between the Tatshenshini River and the Alsek River. In the fall, bears likelyconcentrate their activity near prime fishing or scavenging areas. If salmon fishing areas are notavailable, then bears may move up and down the river searching for carcasses. Bears will oftenwalk gravel bars looking for salmon.

5.1.2 Food Habits

There are a variety of foods available to bears in each of their seasons of activity, i.e., spring(mid-May to mid-June), summer (mid-June to mid-July), and late summer (mid-July to mid-September). I compiled a list of documented and potential bear foods for the TatshenshiniRiver and Alsek River based on a literature review as well as scat analysis and feeding sign seenin the field (Table 1).

The actual identity of foods eaten will vary with a bear’s location in the valley and thedistribution and abundance of the food. Our ratings of the relative abundance of bear foodplants at campsites along the Tatshenshini River and lower Alsek River provides some measureof the relative distribution of these plants along the two rivers (Appendix 1). Field locoweedwas common on alluvial fans that were dominated by mountain-avens (Dryas spp.) and theseareas were often used as campsites. Field locoweed was evident along the entire length of thetwo rivers. Soapberry was common and widely distributed along the edges of treed areas oramongst other shrubs, particularly along the Tatshenshini River. Soapberry was not seen at anycampsites from Walker Glacier downstream.



Table 1. Documented and potential bear foods along the Tatshenshini River and AlsekRiver. Each food type was classified as a major, minor, or possible bear food for threeseasons.

Seasona

Common Name Scientific Name Spring Summer Late SummerROOTS*bear root, alpine sweet-vetch

Hedysarum alpinum major minor major

cow parsnip Heracleum lanatum possible possible possible*field locoweed Oxytropis campestris minor possible minor*lupine Lupinus spp. minor minornorthern sweet-vetch Hedysarum boreale spp.

mackenziiminor minor minor

sweet-cicely Osmorhiza spp. possible minor minor*GRAMINOIDSsedges Carex spp. minor minor minorgrasses Graminae minor minor minorHORSETAIL*common horsetail Equisetum arvense major major major*horsetail Equisetum spp. major major majorFORB & SHRUB STEMS, LEAVES, or FLOWERS:balsam poplar Populus balsamifera minor minor*cow-parsnip Heracleum lanatum minor major majordevil’s club Oplopanax horridus major major major*field locoweed Oxytropis campestris major major minorfireweed Epilobium angustifolium minor minor*northern ground-cone Boschniakia rossica minor major majorlady fern Athyrium filix-femina minor minorother locoweed Oxytropis spp. possible possiblemountain sorrel Oxyria digyna minor minorPacific hemlock-parsley Conioselinum pacificum possible possiblepurple-leaved willowherb Epilobium ciliatum possible possiblesalmonberry Rubus spectabilis minor minorstinging nettle Urtica dioica minor minorwillow catkins Salix spp. minor minor possibleFRUITSbaneberry Actaea rubra possible possibleclasping twisted stalk Streptopus amplexifolius minor minor*currant Ribes spp. minor minor*devil’s club Oplopanax horridus possible minor majorhighbush-cranberry Viburnum edule minor minor major*kinnikinnick Arctostaphylos uva-ursi major minor minormountain-ash Sorbus spp. minor minorred bearberry Arctostaphylos rubra minor minor minorred currant Ribes triste minor minorred elderberry Sambucus racemosa minor minor minorred raspberry Rubus spp. minor minorred-osier dogwood Cornus stolonifera minor minorprickly rose Rosa acicularis minor minor*salmonberry Rubus spectabilis minor minor



Seasona

Common Name Scientific Name Spring Summer Late Summersaskatoon Amelanchier alnifolia minor minor*soapberry, soopolallie Shepherdia canadensis minor majorstink currant Ribes bracteosum possible possiblestrawberry Fragaria sp. minor minorANIMALsalmon Oncorhynchus spp. minor major*ants Formicidae major major minormicrotines minor minor minor*arctic ground squirrel Spermophilus parryii major major majormoose Alces alces major major majora Spring = mid-May to mid-June, summer = mid-June to mid-July, and late summer = mid-July tolate September.* Known bear food along the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River from this project and Wellwood andMacHutchon (1999b)

Kinnikinnick occurred in similar areas as soapberry and had a similar distribution along the tworivers. It seemed to disappear about the same place as soapberry. Bear root was not thatcommon along the Tatshenshini River, but became much more common along the lower AlsekRiver, particularly south of the Novatak Glacier. Field locoweed, soapberry, and kinnikinnickwere most abundant in early succession habitats and many campsites were also in thesehabitats, such as river bars and alluvial fans. As a result, many campsites had potential feedingareas in or adjacent to them. Horsetail was most common in wet depressions and on slopesand was most common at sites along the Tatshenshini River. Highbush-cranberry appeared tobe most abundant in mid-Tatshenshini River to the Netland Glacier on the Alsek River, but wasseen again at Dry Bay. Several food plant species, such as cow parsnip, devil’s club, andsalmonberry, increased in relative abundance in more coastal influenced portions of the lowerTatshenshini River and lower Alsek River. Some food plant species appeared to be relativelycommon within the river valleys, but were not that common around campsites, including stingingnettle (Urtica dioica), sweet-cicely (Osmorhiza spp.), lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina), redelderberry (Sambucus racemosa), red-osier dogwood, and red currant (Ribes triste). Theseplants were most common in herb meadows and on wet mountain slopes, which were alsodensely vegetated with alder and devil’s club.

Fuhr and Edie (1990) and Simpson (1992) reported observing areas where bears had dugextensively for the roots of Indian pipe (Monotropa uniflora) on the Alsek and Tatshenshinirivers. We did not observe Indian pipe anywhere that we travelled. We first started seeingevidence of digging for another saprophyte, northern ground-cone (Boschniakia rossica), onthe lower Tatshenshini River (at Melt Creek) and since it was an unknown food to us prior tothat we did not start recording its relative abundance until then. We found frequent evidence ofit in scats after this point and saw additional evidence of digging by bears. Simpson (1992)reported areas where bears had dug for field locoweed and sweet-cicely roots. We did not seeevidence of digging for sweet-cicely roots, but we also did not encounter it very often.



However, we did see evidence of digging for field locoweed roots along the lower TatshenshiniRiver (also around Melt Creek) and downstream of there. We found several grizzly bear digsof lupine, likely Nootka lupine (Lupinus nootkatensis), beside the airstrip at Dry Bay.

5.1.3 Habitat Use

The following is a probable habitat use scenario for bears along the lower Tatshenshini Riverand is adapted from Simpson (1992). In spring, bears likely use south facing slopes that haveearly green-up of herbaceous vegetation such as graminoids, horsetail, and cow parsnip. Bearsmay also search for ground squirrels in areas where digging is easy. Our observations of beardigs for ground squirrels were relatively uncommon along the Tatshenshini River and AlsekRiver, however I suspect bears actively pursue ground squirrels in areas away from the riverwhere they are more common. In addition to south-facing slopes, other important springfeeding habitats for bears likely include habitats with bear root, wet herbaceous meadows,seepage’s with horsetail, and areas with over-wintered kinnikinnick berries. In summer, bearslikely use habitats with cooler aspects and habitat use is likely dispersed throughout the valley.Important habitats along the river are mountain-avens benches with field locoweed, wetherbaceous meadows, and seepage’s with horsetail. As berries ripen in late summer, bears willlikely primarily feed on devil’s club, soapberry, and highbush-cranberry. Habitats with theseberry species can be common at or adjacent to the rivers.

There was high quality habitat for bears all along the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River and therivers appeared to be major travel routes for bears. Bears likely feed and travel along theTatshenshini River in all seasons, but habitat use by bears may not be as concentrated along theriver as it appeared to be along the upper Alsek River in Kluane National Park (Wellwood andMacHutchon 1999a). This is largely because the valley bottom of the Tatshenshini River ismuch wider in places and, therefore, bears have more habitat choices.

5.2 Campsite Assessments

Campsites between Shaw’ashe/Dalton Post, Yukon and Dry Bay, Alaska along theTatshenshini River and lower Alsek River were evaluated during a rafting trip between July 30and August 11, 1999. Thirty-nine campsites and two trails were identified (Table 2; Figures 2-4) and all sites were assessed and rated for their potential for bear – human interaction (Table3). Four of the sites on the lower Alsek River had previously been evaluated (Wellwood andMacHutchon 1999b). Our specific observations during the campsite assessments, includingseasonal habitat potential, bear travel concerns, visibility concerns, other sensory concerns, bearanimal foods, and bear sign are in Appendix 2.

With the exception of the trail to the grass knoll at Sediments Creek and the numerous trails toWalker Glacier, our assessments did not include potential hikes that people may make awayfrom campsites. If people hike away from campsites they will increase their risk of encounteringor displacing a bear.



Table 2. The location of campsites evaluated along the Tatshenshini River and lowerAlsek River, Yukon, B.C., and Alaska.

Site Location Side of UTMb UTMb (NAD 27) UTM (NAD 83)#a Description River Zone Easting Northing Easting Northing

TY01 Upstream put-in at Shaw’ashe/Dalton Post RR 8v 386420 6666332 386301 6666513TY02 Above Village Creek but below major bend; cobble

barRL 8v 385183 6666684 385064 6666866

TY03 Squaw Creek mouth RL 8v 379529 6657156 379410 6657337TY04 Upstream side of Silver Creek RR 8v 378046 6656476 377927 6656657TK05 Downstream side of Silver Creek RR 8v 378000 6656385 377881 6656566

TK06 a Upstream side of Bridge Creek RR 8v 376538 6654123 376419 6654304TK06 b Downstream side of Bridge Creek RR 8v 376500c 6653975c 376381 6654156TT07 2-3 km upstream of Quiet Canyon below Bridge R. RR 8v 376689 6651220 376570 6651401TT08 Cliff between Quiet Canyon and Detour Ck. RL 8v 374319 6644154 374200 6644335TT09 Across from Detour Ck. at back channel outlet RL 8v 372908d 6640534d 372789 6640715TT10 Upstream side of "Bear Bite" Creek RR 8v 372770 6633566 372651 6633747TT11 Upstream side of Sediments Creek RR 8v 372311 6630257 372193 6630438TT12 Downstream side of Sediments Creek outlet RR 8v 372241 6630224 372122 6630405TT13 Upstream side of Alkie Creek mouth RR 8v 375589 6619373 375470 6619554TT14 Downstream side of O'Connor River RL 8v 376234 6612174 376115 6612355TT15 Across from Henshi Ck.; bay between two rock

pointsRL 8v 368982 6604222 368863 6604403

TT16 2-3 km down from Henshi Creek at cliff face RR 8v 365874 6602976 365755 6603157TT17 Downstream side of Tats Creek RR 8v 363582 6599294 363463 6599475TT18 Downstream side of Towagh Creek RL 8v 361920 6595356 361801 6595537TT19 Large gravel bar upstream of Ninetyeighter Creek RL 8v 351719 6593299 351600 6593480TT20 Mouth of Ninetyeighter Creek RL 8v 349136 6594193 349018 6594374TT21 Upstream side of Melt Creek RL 8v 346677 6594179 346558 6594360TT22 Downstream side of Melt Creek RL 8v 345896 6594599 345777 6594780TT23 Petroglyph Island/ Tatshenshini Island Mid 8v 345446 6595857 345327 6596039

AT110e Downstream side of Reynolds Glacier Creek RR 8v 338600c 6595950c 338481 6596131AT111e Netland Glacier view; rock outcrop RR 8v 337350c 6595800c 337231 6595981AT112e Island campsite #1 RR 8v 335500c 6595250c 335381 6595431AT113e Island campsite #2 RR 8v 335400c 6595400c 335281 6595581AT114 Across from Reynolds Glacier mouth RL 8v 340122 6594568 340003 6594749AG201 Several km upstream of corner above Walker

GlacierRL 7v 669218d 6591376d 669089 6591546

AG202a-c Walker Glacier, sub-sites a - c RL 7v 666980f 6588234f 666850 6588404AG202d Below lake at Walker Glacier; sub-site of AG202 RL 7v 666158 6587368 666029 6587538AG203 Below waves upstream of Novatak Gl. ("Purple

Haze"?)RR 7v 655559 6583824 655430 6583994

AG204 200 m up of Novatak Gl. Mouth ("Purple Haze"#2?) RR 7v 654562 6583023 654432 6583193AG205 Alsek Lake spit; upstream site RL 7vAG206

a&bAlsek Lake spit, sub-sites a & b RL 7v 660154g 6566366g 660025 6566536

AG207 Gateway Knob RR 7v 661470d 6563922d 661341 6564092AG208 Across from Gateway Knob; edge of lake near

mouthRR 7v 660514 6563333 660385 6563503

AG209 Alsek Lake dunes area near outlet of lake RL 7v 660067 6561558 659938 6561728AG210 Island on lower Alsek above Dry Bay pullout Mid 7v 649174 6563692 649045 6563862AG211 Dry Bay pullout campsite and airstrip RL 7v 643453 6560876 643324 6561046

a TY = Tatshenshini River, Yukon; TK = Tatshenshini River, Kluane National Park and Reserve; TT = Tatshenshini River,Tatshenshini-Alsek Park; AT = Alsek River, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park; AG = Alsek River, Glacier Bay National Park andPreserve.b Unless otherwise noted, locations are 3D from a Trimble Scoutmaster GPS.c Location from a 1:50,000 map.



d 2D location from a Trimble Scoutmaster GPS.e Campsites evaluated in 1998 (see Wellwood and MacHutchon 1999b).f Location of sub-site "a" for AG202.g Location of sub-site "a" for AG206.



Table 3. Ratings for bear travel concerns, visibility concerns, other sensory concerns,seasonal habitat potential, and the seasonal potential for displacing or encounteringbears at campsites along the Tatshenshini River and lower Alsek River. L = Low, L-M = Low to Moderate, M = Moderate, M-H = Moderate to High and H = High.

Bear Other Bear – Human Interaction RiskSite Travel Visibility Sensory Habitat Potential Springc Summerc Late Summerc

#a Concern Concern Concern Sp Su LSu Displ. Enc. Displ. Enc. Displ. Enc.TY01 H H L L-M M-H H L L-M M M-H M-H HTY02 M L L L-M L M L-M L L L-M M MTY03 M M M L L-M H L L L-M M M-H M-HTY04 L M L L L H L L-M L L-M M-H M-HTK05 M L L L L M-H L L-M L L-M M MTK06 a M H M H M M-H L-M M L-M M M MTK06 b M L M L L M L L L L L-M L-MTT07 L M L H M-H M M M M M L-M MTT08 M L L M-H M-H M M L-M M L-M M L-MTT09 L L L M M L-M L-M L L-M L L LTT10 M M M M-H M-H M L-M L-M L-M L-M L LTrail-TT11 H H M H H H H M-H M-H H M-H HTT11 M L M L M-H M-H L L-M M L M MTT12 M H M L-M L-M H L-M M L-M M H HTT13 L M M L L L L L-M L L-M L LTT14 H H M M-H M-H M M-H M-H M M-H M M-HTT15 H H H M-H H H M M-H M-H H M-H HTT16 M M M M-H M-H L-M M M M M L-M L-MTT17 H H H L-M M M M H M H M HTT18 M M M M-H H H M M M-H H M-H M-HTT19 M M H L L L L L-M L L-M L L-MTT20 H M M M H M-H L-M M M M-H M M-HTT21 H M M L H M-H L M M-H H M HTT22 M H L L H M L L-M M-H M-H M MTT23 M L M L-M L-M H L L-M L L-M L-M L-MAT110b M M M L L-M M L L-M L L-M L-M MAT111b H M M L-M M H L M M M M M-HAT112b L L M L L-M L-M L L L L-M L L-MAT113b L L M L M M L L L L-M L L-MAT114 M M M L M-H M-H L L-M M M M MAG201 M M M L-M H M-H L-M M M-H M-H M M-HAG202 a-c M M M L-M H M-H L L-M M M M MAG202 d M M M L L L L-M M L-M M L-M MAG203 L M M L L L L L-M L L-M L L-MAG204 L L M L L L L L L L L LAG205 M M M H M M-H M-H M-H M M M-H M-HAG206 a&b H M M H M M-H M-H M-H M M M-H M-HAG207 L L L L-M M M-H L L L-M L-M M L-MAG208 L L L H L-M M M M L L L-M L-MAG209 M L L L-M M L L L-M L-M L-M L LAG210 L M M L L-M L L L L L-M L LAG211 L L M M M M L L-M L L-M L L-Ma TY = Tatshenshini River, Yukon; TK = Tatshenshini River, Kluane National Park and Reserve; TT = Tatshenshini River,Tatshenshini-Alsek Park; AT = Alsek River, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park; AG = Alsek River, Glacier Bay National Park andPreserve.b Campsites evaluated in 1998 (see Wellwood and MacHutchon 1999b).c Spring = mid-May to mid-June, Summer = mid-June to mid-July, and Late Summer = mid-July to late September.



5.3 Recommendations for Campsite Use

ObjectiveReduce the risk of bear – human interaction at or near campsites, including the displacement ofbears from feeding areas and direct bear – human encounters.

BackgroundThe major difficulty in recommending management strategies for campsite use along theTatshenshini River and Alsek River is that there are no established bear management or humanmanagement objectives. One of the important short-term tasks of the management agenciesshould be to co-operatively develop a bear management plan or strategy that outlines theseobjectives (see section 6.1). In the absence of such a plan for the Tatshenshini River and AlsekRiver, I have made recommendations on campsite use with an emphasis on bear conservation atthe potential cost to visitor freedom of choice.

River travellers generally chose campsites that had a convenient pullout (e.g., a bay or back-eddy), flat areas in close proximity to the river for tents, shelter from the wind, clear water, andfirewood. It appears that concerns about the potential for encountering or displacing bearswere rarely considered in the choice of campsites. As a result, I believe that managementagencies will need to consider controlling human use of campsites along the rivers to try andminimize the potential for negative bear – human interaction. Managers of some recreationalareas have addressed concerns about potential bear – human interaction by locating campsitesand trails away from bear habitats. However, bears use the entire Tatshenshini River and AlsekRiver, so people can not camp along the rivers without being in close proximity to bears andtheir habitat. All campsites we evaluated have the potential for bear – human encounters anduse of these campsites may displace some bears. Nevertheless, some campsites or sub-sites oflarger campsites appeared to have lower potential for bear – human interaction than others.Table 4 outlines specific recommendations for the 39 campsites and 2 trails that we evaluated.

General Recommendations1. Encourage use of the recommended campsites in Table 4 and discourage use of those that

are considered of moderate or higher risk of bear – human interaction. Twelve (31%) ofthe 39 campsites that were assessed were recommended and an additional 12 (31%) hadsuggested restrictions if they continue to be used. Fifteen (38%) sites were notrecommended for camping.

2. If people are allowed to camp at the 12 sites with moderate or higher risks for which I havesuggested additional restrictions, then they should be warned of the potential risks of usingthese sites.

3. All river travellers should be encouraged to closely follow safety in bear country principleswhen at campsites, such as camping in groups of 6 or more people, maximizing theirvisibility and their ability to see bears, avoiding wandering away from the campsite, bear-



proofing their food and garbage, and making noise when in areas of low visibility or whenapproaching the toilet.



Table 4. Management recommendations for campsites evaluated along theTatshenshini River and lower Alsek River, Yukon, B.C., and Alaska.

Site Location#a Description Recommendation(s)

TY01 Upstream put-in atShaw’ashe/Dalton Post

Not recommended for camping. High risk of encountering bears andmoderate to high risk of displacing bears in late summer. Should beused as a launch area only.

TY02 Above Village Creek butbelow major bend;cobble bar

Moderate risk in late summer because of the abundance of salmonin the area and potentially food-conditioned or habituated bears thatalso fish at the Klukshu weir. However, relative to the alternatives, itis one of the better sites between the put-in and the TatshenshiniRiver canyon. River users should be made aware of the concernsabout using the site in late summer.

TY03 Squaw Creek mouth Not recommended, encourage people to use other sites. Moderateto high risk of both displacing and encountering bears in latesummer.

TY04 Upstream side of SilverCreek

Not recommended, encourage people to use other sites. Moderateto high risk of both displacing and encountering bears in latesummer.

TK05 Downstream side ofSilver Creek

Overall, a moderate-risk campsite in late summer. However, bear –human interaction information over the last several years (see Table5) suggests that there is a human-habituated and possibly food-conditioned grizzly bear in the area. Parks Canada should activelymonitor bear – human sightings, encounters, and incidents at thissite and nearby sites. River travellers should be made aware of thepotential presence of a human-habituated and food-conditioned bearin the area. If people are going to continue to camp here, theyshould be required to camp on the open alluvial gravel bar as muchas possible and discouraged from wandering into the surroundingforest.

TK06a Upstream side of BridgeCreek

Not recommended. Moderate risk of encountering a bear in allseasons and moderate risk of displacement in late summer. TK06bon the downstream side of Bridge Creek is recommended over thiscampsite.

TK06b Downstream side ofBridge Creek

Recommended campsite. People should be encouraged to camp onthe open alluvial gravel bar as much as possible and discouragedfrom wandering into the surrounding forest.

TT07 2-3 km upstream ofQuiet Canyon belowBridge R.

A moderate risk site in all seasons. High value habitat insurrounding area. If people camp here, they should be encouragedto camp on the open gravel bar and discouraged from wandering intothe surrounding forest.

TT08 Cliff between QuietCanyon and Detour Ck.

Moderate risk of displacement in all seasons. People should beencouraged to camp on the open gravel/sand island and discouragedfrom wandering into the surrounding forest.

TT09 Across from Detour Ck.at back channel outlet

Relatively low risk site, however, there has been a food-conditionedbear, likely grizzly, that has broken in to guide/outfitter JackGoodwin’s cabin 5 years in a row, approximately 2 km upstream ofTT09 near Detour Creek. River travellers should be made aware ofthe presence of this bear in the general area. BC Parks should takeimmediate action to ensure that human food is not available at JackGoodwin’s outfitting camp during the off-season when no one is




there.TT10 Upstream side of "Bear

Bite" CreekRelatively low risk site, however, there has been a bear bite awoman through her tent at this site. That type of behaviour suggeststhe bear was food-conditioned. River travellers should be madeaware of the potential presence of this bear in the general area.People should be encouraged to camp in the open on the alluvial fanas much as possible and discouraged from wandering into thesurrounding forest.

TT11 Upstream side ofSediments Creek

A moderate risk site in summer and late summer based on thehabitat and physical properties. However, bear – human interactioninformation over the last several years (see Table 5) suggests thatthere is at least one human-habituated and likely food-conditionedblack bear and a human-habituated grizzly bear in the area.Focussed management effort, including perhaps aversiveconditioning and campsite closure, appears to be required by BCParks to reduce the number of bear – human incidents at this site.People should be encouraged to camp at other sites. SedimentsCreek is a very popular place to camp and hike and layover for aday. If people are going to continue to be allowed to camp in thearea, they should be required to use this site over TT12 on thedownstream side of Sediments Creek. BC Parks should activelymonitor bear – human sightings, encounters, and incidents at thissite and nearby sites (e.g., TT10). River travellers should be madeaware of the presence of at least one human-habituated and food-conditioned bear in the area. People should be required to camp inthe open as much as possible and not to camp near the forest to thenorthwest of Sediments Creek. People should also be discouragedfrom wandering in to the surrounding forest and to be cautious whenapproaching the clear water source north of Sediments Creek.

TT12 Downstream side ofSediments Creek outlet

Not recommended, close to camping. High risk of encountering ordisplacing a bear in late summer and moderate risk of encounteringa bear in spring and summer.

Grass knoll hike,Sediments Creek

A trail through high quality bear habitat with a high risk ofencountering or displacing bears in all seasons. From a bear –human interaction view-point, this is not a very good location for atrail. However, there does not appear to be any better alternatives inthe local area to access the grass knoll viewpoint or the sub-alpine.If the trail is to remain open, then people should be stronglyencouraged to:1. Hike in a group of at least three people,2. Keep alert and watch for bears and fresh bear sign,3. Make lots of noise along the forested portion of the trail,4. Not hike in the early morning or late evening around dusk and

dawn, and5. Hike in the open on the alluvial fan as much as possible to the

beginning of the trail in the trees.TT13 Upstream side of Alkie

Creek mouthRecommended campsite. People should be encouraged to camp onthe open alluvial fan just upstream of Alkie Creek mouth anddiscouraged from wandering into the nearby forest.




TT14 Downstream side ofO'Connor River

Not recommended, encourage people to use other sites. Moderateto high risk of encountering a bear in all seasons and moderate tohigh risk of displacing a bear in spring.

TT15 Across from HenshiCk.; bay between tworock points

Not recommended, encourage people to use other sites. High riskof encountering a bear and moderate to high risk of displacing a bearin summer and late summer.

TT16 2-3 km down fromHenshi Creek at cliffface

Moderate risk site in spring and summer. People should beencouraged to camp on the open sand/gravel bar and discouragedfrom wandering into the surrounding shrub cover.

TT17 Downstream side ofTats Creek

Not recommended, encourage people to use other sites. High riskof encountering a bear and moderate risk of displacing a bear in allseasons.

TT18 Downstream side ofTowagh Creek

Not recommended where people currently camp. There appears tobe a human-habituated grizzly bear in the area (see Table 5). Thetenting area is within high quality feeding habitat for summer and latesummer. There also are bear encounter concerns when people walkto the clear water source behind the tent area. There would besome lower risk if people camped right on the alluvial fan of TowaghCreek, further upstream.

TT19 Large gravel barupstream ofNinetyeighter Creek

Recommended campsite. People should be encouraged to camp onthe open sand/gravel bar and discouraged from wandering into thesurrounding shrub cover.

TT20 Mouth of NinetyeighterCreek

Not recommended, encourage people to use other sites. Moderateto high risk of encountering a bear and moderate risk of displacing abear in summer and late summer.

TT21 Upstream side of MeltCreek

Not recommended, encourage people to use other sites. High riskof encountering a bear in summer and late summer and moderate tohigh risk of displacing a bear in summer.

TT22 Downstream side ofMelt Creek

Moderate to high risk of displacing and encountering a bear insummer so the site is not recommended. If a site is necessary atthe mouth of Melt Creek, then this site is preferable to the site onthe upstream side (TT21).

TT23 Petroglyph Island/Tatshenshini Island

Recommended campsite. Relatively low risk site, but hard to get tonow because the river channel on the east side of the island doesnot have much water in it. People should be encouraged to camp onthe open sand/gravel bar and discouraged from wandering around inthe adjacent forest. People hiking to the petroglyphs should beencouraged to stay on the trail, hike in a group of at least threepeople, keep alert, and make lots of noise along forested portions ofthe trail.

AT110b Downstream side ofReynolds Glacier Creek

Recommended campsite. Relatively low risk site, but recently thecreek washed out part of the campsite. The site is also off the mainchannel of the Alsek River. People should be encouraged to campon the open alluvial fan and discouraged from wandering into theadjacent forest.

AT111b Netland Glacier view;rock outcrop

Moderate to high risk of encountering a bear in late summer,otherwise a moderate risk site. People should be discouraged fromusing the site, but if they do they should camp in the open and notwander away from the camp.




AT112b Island campsite #1 Recommended campsite. People should be encouraged to camp inthe open as much as possible.

AT113b Island campsite #2 Recommended campsite. Relatively low risk site, but hard to get tobecause the side channel running by the campsite does not havemuch water in it. People should be encouraged to camp in the openas much as possible.

AT114 Across from ReynoldsGlacier mouth

Moderate risk site in summer and late summer. People should beencouraged to camp in the open and discouraged from wanderingaway from the camp.

AG201 Several km upstream ofcorner above WalkerGlacier

Not recommended, encourage people to use other sites. Moderateto high risk of encountering a bear in summer and late summer andmoderate to high risk of displacing a bear in summer.

Walker Glacier trails There are many trails leading from each sub-site, i.e., AG202a toAG202c, toward the glacier. Most trails converge where themountain side-slope, moraine and lake come together. Some well-used bear trails also meet the glacier trail in this area. The highestrisk human trails are primarily those that lead from sub-site AG202aand go through thick alder and poplar where visibility is poor. Irecommend that there only be one trail that goes through themoraines and the associated shrub areas to the glacier. Trails fromeach of the 3 different sub-sites should be routed through the opengravel flats and converge at this main trail at the edge of themoraine/shrub area just north of the lake. The 3 feeder trails and themain trail to the glacier should be well marked with cairns. Peoplehiking to the glacier also should be encouraged to:1. Hike in a group of at least three people,2. Keep alert and watch for bears and fresh bear sign,3. Make lots of noise in the shrubby portions of the trail(s),4. Not hike in the early morning or late evening around dusk and

dawn, and5. Hike in the open on the gravel bars as much as possible.

AG202ato

AG202c

Walker Glacier, sub-sites a to c

Moderate risk site in summer and late summer. People should beencouraged to camp at the 2 most open sub-sites AG202b andAG202c that are toward Walker Glacier Lake and discouraged fromusing the more confined site AG202a near the large bay at theupstream end of AG202. People also should be encouraged torestrict their activities to the area around each sub-site anddiscouraged from wandering into the adjacent forested or shrubdominated areas. Bears appear to use these vegetated areas tobypass the campsites.

AG202d Below the lake atWalker Glacier; sub-siteof AG202

Moderate risk of a bear encounter in all seasons because of thepotential movement of bears through the site. People should beencouraged to restrict their activities to the area around thecampsite and discouraged from wandering into the shrub-dominatedarea between the back channel and the lake. Bears appear to usethis vegetated area to bypass the campsite.

AG203 Below standing wavesupstream of NovatakGlacier mouth ("Purple

Recommended campsite. Relatively low risk site with 2 potentialuse areas. People should be encouraged to camp on the opengravel bar and discouraged from wandering into the patches of dense




Haze"?) alder and willow adjacent to the site.AG204 Approximately 200 m

upstream of NovatakGlacier mouth ("PurpleHaze"#2?)

Recommended campsite. Low risk site. People should beencouraged to camp in the open as much as possible anddiscouraged from wandering into the dense alder and willow betweenAG204 and AG203.

AG205 Alsek Lake spit;upstream site

Not recommended, encourage people to use other sites. Moderateto high risk of encountering and displacing bears in both spring andlate summer.

AG206a&b

Alsek Lake spit, sub-sites a & b

Moderate to high risk of encountering and displacing bears in bothspring and late summer, so the site is not recommended. If acampsite is necessary on Alsek Lake spit, then sub-site AG206b atthe tip of the spit is preferable to sub-site AG206a, which is furtherupstream along the spit.

AG207 Gateway Knob Moderate risk of displacing bears in late summer, otherwise arelatively low risk site. There is a food-conditioned hoary marmot atthe site, which suggests people are being somewhat sloppy withtheir food or deliberately feeding it. River travellers should be warnedabout the dangers of food-conditioning bears by spilling food orleaving it behind. People should be encouraged to camp in the openon the gravel bar and discouraged from wandering into the thick alderand willow adjacent to the campsite.

AG208 Across from GatewayKnob; edge of lake nearmouth

Moderate risk of displacing or encountering bears in spring,otherwise a relatively low risk site. This site does not have muchshelter from the wind and the risk of bear – human interactionincreases the closer people camp to the tall shrub willow and alder.The area is dense with bear root, consequently grizzly bear digs forbear root roots. People should be encouraged to camp in the opensand/gravel bar as much as possible and discouraged fromwandering into the thick alder and willow near the campsite.

AG209 Alsek Lake dunes areanear outlet of lake

Recommended campsite. Relatively low risk site. People should beencouraged to camp in the open as much as possible anddiscouraged from wandering into the dense alder and willow adjacentto the site.

AG210 Island on lower Alsekabove Dry Bay pullout

Recommended campsite. Relatively low risk site. People should beencouraged to camp in the open as much as possible.

AG211 Dry Bay pull-outcampsite and airstrip

Recommended campsite. Relatively low risk site because of thelack of habitat potential in the area, but also because of local humanactivity. However, because of this human activity and the proximityto the fish plant, there is a higher chance of food-conditioned bearsin the area than most other places on the river. People should bewarned of this and encouraged not to become complacent in theirbear awareness and food and garbage management even thoughthey have reached “civilization”. A written warning to that effectshould be added to the sign at the Dry Bay pullout.

a TY = Tatshenshini River, Yukon; TK = Tatshenshini River, Kluane National Park and Reserve; TT =Tatshenshini River, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park; AT = Alsek River, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park; AG =Alsek River, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.b Campsites evaluated in 1998 (see Wellwood and MacHutchon 1999b).



4. Collaborate among management agencies on a Campsite Use Form, printed onwaterproof paper, which can be given to all river users on the Tatshenshini River and AlsekRiver. Include enough detail to achieve an interagency wide database, but make the formsas user friendly and as short as possible. The form should include questions that will helpdetermine how frequently specific campsites are being used and the cleanliness of thecampsites. This information will be valuable for monitoring changes in campsite use bypeople. Provide location descriptions of campsites on the form so that people can easilyand accurately identify campsite locations. Park staff should provide an overview of thedata form to the leader of each private group prior to their departure.

5. Monitor all campsites for increases in bear sightings, encounters, or incidents and close themif necessary (see section 6.5).

6. Monitor the successes or failures of the campsite use restrictions by reviewing campsite useand bear – human interactions on an annual basis.

7. Continue to investigate alternatives for additional low risk campsites.

Possible Future StrategyDuring the development of a co-ordinated Bear Management Plan for the Tatshenshini Riverand Alsek River (see section 6.1), bear management and human use objectives should bereviewed to assess whether to designate campsites. Issues to discuss include the acceptablelevels of human safety and impacts to bears versus continuing to offer some freedom ofcampsite choice.

The potential advantages of designated campsites are:1. The spatial location and human use of campsites is predictable to bears. Jope (1985)

suggests that predictable human use was a factor in the lower incidence of conflict on hikingtrails compared to off-trail areas. This evidence led Herrero and Fleck (1990) to suggestthat recent trends towards increasing injuries in off trail areas may be consistent with Jope’s(1985) findings.

2. Certain bears will habituate to the presence of humans at camps and continue to useimportant feeding areas adjacent to these camps, either when people are there or when theyhave left. Bears can adjust their activities to avoid humans, if they so choose.

3. Bears that habituate to human presence at campsites and continue to use areas aroundcampsites will be aware of people’s location. Therefore, surprise encounters will be lesslikely to occur.

4. Bears will have access to larger areas of the valley bottom where there is little or no humanactivity.

5. The benefits of designated campsites can only be achieved if bears do not learn that theycan obtain human food or garbage from campsites.

Kluane National Park has instituted designated camping at a number of sites on the upper AlsekRiver to try and make human activity more predictable to bears (Wellwood and MacHutchon1999a, 1999c).



The potential disadvantages of designated campsites are:1. Increased use of certain campsites may increase the displacement of some bears.

However, if every group uses a different campsite each night, the potential area ofdisplacement would be much larger.

2. Bears that habituate to the presence of people at camps may begin to "push their limits" andinvestigate camps, either when people are there or after they have left. Human habituatedbears are much more prone to becoming food-conditioned than wary bears are.

3. Many people are not comfortable with human-habituated bears “hanging around” acampsite, even if they don’t necessarily pose a threat to human safety.

4. The potential for bears to obtain food from campsites is high because food is not currentlyrequired to be “bear-proofed”.

5. After repeated human use of one spot, human food odours and spills may begin toconcentrate, thereby increasing the attractiveness of those camps to bears.

6. People like to make their own choices about where to camp.7. The physical impacts on vegetation and soil are greater.8. Channels will change and the accessibility of some sites may change.9. The location of campsites may be difficult to describe or find, particularly if there are no

major identifying features nearby. Different groups have different navigation skills and manygroups don't carry large-scale maps, if any. Given that much of the appeal of theTatshenshini River and Alsek River is its wilderness character, marking campsites with signsis not likely to be an acceptable option to many people (Dill et al. 1997). However, rockcairns may be an effective and less obtrusive solution.

If the agencies responsible for visitor use management on the Tatshenshini River and AlsekRiver decide to designate specific campsites, then the following should be considered in theselection of sites:1. For sites that were evaluated during this project, if at all possible, choose ones that were

rated low (L) or low to moderate (L-M) potential for bear – human interaction (i.e.,encounter and displacement) for all seasons and that were recommended as campsites inTable 4.

2. Sites should be low value bear habitat (i.e., for feeding and travel) relative to other sites.Bears are less likely to be active in the area and, therefore, less likely to be displaced or toencounter people at camps.

3. Sites should be open and provide good visibility. People and bears can detect each othereasier.

4. Where possible, try to pick sites, particularly kitchen areas, that flood regularly, such as onsparsely vegetated gravel/sand bars or alluvial fans. Campsites will be periodically cleanedof human food odour and food spills and the vegetation and soil will be impacted less byrepeated human use.

5. Ensure that sites are spaced practically and allow for some choice. Groups will travel atdifferent rates depending on weather, start times, and group composition. Designatedcampsites should be reasonably spaced so that if one campsite becomes inaccessible,alternative campsites are available.



6. Sites should have a convenient pullout and flat areas in close proximity to the river for tents.7. Try to pick sites that also have shelter from the wind, clear water, and firewood.8. Try to pick sites that do not have sweepers, logjams, gravel bars, or riffles that catch and

hold salmon carcasses. Bears are less likely to be active in the area or to travel through thecamp. This is primarily a concern on the upper Tatshenshini River above the canyon.

9. For the benefit of visitors, sites should have scenic views, if possible.



6.0 OTHER MANAGEMENT ISSUES & PROPOSEDSTRATEGIESAs I mentioned in section 5.3, the major difficulty in suggesting or recommending managementstrategies for the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River is that there are no established bearmanagement or human management objectives. One of the important short-term tasks of themanagement agencies should be to co-operatively develop a bear management plan or strategythat outlines these objectives (see section 6.1). A re-evaluation of the successes or failures ofany management strategy that is implemented should be conducted periodically, such as everyfive years.

In the absence of a co-ordinated bear management plan or strategy for the Tatshenshini Riverand Alsek River, I have approached specific management issues with an emphasis on bearconservation at the potential cost to visitor freedom of choice. My suggested managementstrategies are intended to be proactive, practical, and effective, however they will also requiresome sacrifice or expense on the part of human users of the river. I believe the short-term coststo human users will be outweighed by the long-term benefits to human safety and bearconservation. I also believe most people will grudgingly accept some restriction on theirfreedom if they understand that the measures are intended to ensure their safety, maintain theecological integrity of the river, and protect bear populations. If the Tatshenshini River andAlsek River are not managed appropriately, human impact will undoubtedly degrade thecharacter of the wilderness that is being sought by visitors.

I believe that proactive rather than reactive management strategies are the most efficient andcost effective way to deal with potential problem issues. As an example, many managementagencies elsewhere are spending a great deal of time and money reacting to the complexproblems associated with food-conditioned bears. The long-term benefits of a proactiveapproach to minimizing the chance of bears becoming food-conditioned can be significant,including ensuring human safety, enhancing bear conservation, and reducing the time andfinancial costs involved in dealing with food-conditioned bears. If management agenciesbecome aware of changes occurring in bear behaviour and habitat use or if data indicate thatbear – human interactions are increasing, the source of the problem should be identified andaddressed as soon as possible. The maintenance of healthy bear populations requires effectivestrategies to manage human activities such that they have minimal impacts on bears. This is notan easy task given the existing levels of human use and the demands for increased access anduse. However, any strategy that reduces the direct or indirect impacts of humans on bears, nomatter how seemingly insignificant, will be important in controlling the incremental cumulativeeffects of humans on bears and be of conservation benefit to bears.

Control of campsite use is only one of a number of management issues that should be addressedby management agencies to help minimize the potential for negative bear – human interaction onthe Tatshenshini River and Alsek River. The following discusses several additional management



issues and suggests strategies to address them. This review draws on the previous work ofMacHutchon (1998b), MacDougall et al. (1997, 1998), and Wellwood and MacHutchon(1999a, 1999b, 1999c, 1999d, 1999e, 2000) as well as available knowledge from otherjurisdictions and other bear – human conflict management specialists. A suggested time framefor implementation of the proposed management strategies is in Table 6 following the discussion.

6.1 Interagency Co-operation

Objectives1. To ensure that management strategies are implemented co-operatively among the agencies

responsible for management of visitor use along the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River.2. To ensure that information concerning bear – human interactions and visitor management

policies are exchanged among the co-operating management agencies.

BackgroundPrior to the creation of Tatshenshini-Alsek Park, Herrero et al. (1993) recommended thedevelopment of a bear management plan for the entire Tatshenshini River Valley, including theAlsek River. Despite the four political jurisdictions involved, bears move freely along andbetween the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River. A problem bear in one jurisdiction ispotentially a problem bear in other jurisdictions. In addition, the effects of displacement ofbears and other negative impacts in one area can have implications across political boundaries.Given these potentially important habitat and travel links between the Tatshenshini River andAlsek River, an overall bear management plan for the Tatshenshini and Alsek rivers would bebeneficial. This campsite assessment project was a significant step toward a co-operative andco-ordinated approach to bear – human management on the Tatshenshini River and AlsekRiver.

In many circumstances, exchange of information among management agencies about bear –human incidents will be important for the safety of everyone using the Tatshenshini River andAlsek River. This information will increase awareness of events occurring on the rivers and theability to anticipate potential problems.

Proposed Strategies1. Develop an interagency or international Tatshenshini River and Alsek River Bear

Management Plan or Strategy that clearly states the bear management and humanmanagement objectives for the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River drainages. Some ofthese objectives could be the same or similar to those suggested in sections 5.3 and 6.2 to6.5, that is:a) Reduce the risk of bear – human interaction at or near campsites, including the

displacement of bears from feeding areas and direct bear – human encounters.b) Ensure that bears on the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River do not become food-

conditioned.



c) Enable and encourage river users to actively reduce their risk of negative encounterswith bears.

d) Limit the timing of group departures, group size, and time on the river to 1) make humanuse more predictable to bears in time and space, and 2) minimize the indirect humanimpacts on bears of regular disturbance, habitat displacement, and potential barriers tomovement.

e) Ensure that river users report bear – human interactions quickly and accurately and thatmanagement agencies respond appropriately to bear – human incidents.

The Bear Management Plan would probably work best as a sub-document of aninteragency or international Tatshenshini River and Alsek River Management Plan assuggested in section 6.4. The Bear Management Plan should also outline the roles andresponsibilities of different parks staff related to:a) information to provide to river users;b) how to complete the Campsite Use and Bear Observation forms;c) the prompt reporting of bear – human incidents to Park Rangers or Wardens;d) the necessary action if a serious bear – human incident, such as a mauling, occurs;e) the proper documentation of occurrence reports about bear human incidents; andf) the protocol for communicating among management agencies.

2. Develop a communications protocol, preferably within the Bear Management Plan, forexchanging information among agencies regarding bear – human incidents. Mostimportantly, there should be regular communication between Tatshenshini-Alsek Park,Glacier Bay National Park, and Kluane National Park.

3. Ensure that key Park Ranger or Warden staff obtain appropriate training in bear captureand immobilization.

4. Co-operate on an interagency annual report that summarizes bear – human interactions andcampsite use and tracks changes in bear behaviour and bear and human use of campsites.Glacier Bay National Park rangers in Dry Bay will receive the bulk of campsite use andbear observation forms, so they are in the best position to take the lead role on analysingand summarizing the data in a written report. They already produce an annual report thatsummarizes the existing Alsek/Tatshenshini River Trip Survey forms. Other managementagencies, particularly BC Parks, should actively participate in the writing of the annualreport. Each year’s results and apparent changes in bear behaviour and bear and humanuse of campsites should be discussed at the existing biannual interagency meetings as well aspre-season staff training sessions. Conduct a detailed review of the annual reports everyfive years.

5. Periodically present a summary of the results and a discussion of the annual reports tocommercial operators. If operators and guides are able to see the results of the data theyhave collected they will likely be encouraged to continue their efforts.

6. Increase the frequency of interagency patrol trips on the Tatshenshini River and Alsek Riverto ensure river travellers comply with guidelines and regulations.



6.2 Human Food and Garbage Management

ObjectiveEnsure that bears on the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River do not become food-conditioned.

BackgroundProper food and garbage management by all river users, including tourists, parks staff,researchers, guide/outfitters, and local people is the most important factor that will ensure safebear – human interactions and maintain the wilderness character of the rivers.

There were numerous bear – human incidents reported for the Tatshenshini River and lowerAlsek River between 1995 and 1998 (Table 5). There appear to be human-habituated bears inthe vicinity of Silver Creek, Sediments Creek and Towagh River. The habituated bears atSediments Creek and, possibly, Silver Creek also appear to be food-conditioned. In addition,one bear, likely a grizzly bear, has broken in to guide-outfitter Jack Goodwin’s cabin on theupper Tatshenshini River near Detour Creek five years in a row and obtained human food eachyear (G. MacRae, BC Parks, pers. comm.; personal observation). The potential for thesebears or other bears to obtain human food or garbage from occupied campsites is high becausemost groups do not effectively “bear-proof” their food. Rafting groups generally carry a lot offood that is usually stored in large coolers or aluminium boxes. Coolers and food boxes areusually stored in the rafts or near the kitchen area. A pervasive attitude among somecommercial groups is that they have never had a problem with bears, therefore, there is no needto change current practices. I believe it is just a matter of time before there are more bear –human incidents at camps. It only takes one group to be sloppy with their food or garbage forbears to learn how easy it is to get. Subsequent groups, no matter how conscientious they are,will suffer the consequences. The prevalence of food-conditioned bears in other areas ofCanada and the U.S., where bear proofing was not practiced, indicates that food conditioningcould become a problem on the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River if human food and garbageare not made inaccessible to bears. Energetically and socially stressed sub-adult bears,particularly the offspring of habituated females, are candidates for food-conditioning if they geteasy access to human food or garbage, including food spills. Bear proofing of food should beconsidered as essential a safety measure as investing time and money into life jackets, throwbags and river rescue preparation.

Bear-proof food canisters designed for hikers have successfully reduced bear problems inDenali National Park, Alaska (Dalle-Molle and Van Horn 1989) and Kluane National Park,Yukon (Wellwood and MacHutchon 1999d). There are commercial models available forcanoes and kayaks as well. These canisters can be an effective option for small canoe or kayakgroups to bear-proof their food. Rafting groups, however, particularly a large commercialgroup, typically carry a large amount of food that takes a large amount of space, is heavy, and iscumbersome to move around. The challenge is to develop a bear-resistant food storage systemthat is compact, affordable, and as easy to use as possible. Potential options for bear proofing



food for large groups include a welded aluminium cooler or locker with a locking mechanismthat bears cannot break into, permanently installed bear-proof containers or caches atcampsites, or portable electric fences.



Table 5. Significant bear – human interactions reported for the Tatshenshini River and AlsekRiver, Yukon, B.C., and Alaska in permit system reports written by U.S. National ParkService staff, 1995-1998.

Year Bear – Human Interactions Reported Permit SystemReport Comments

1995 1. Three encounters at or near Sediments Creek. In only one case did abear appear threatening. CRE – grizzly bear at Sediments was notvery wary; used air horns and flares but it would not leave the vicinity.Ecosummer – black bear at Sediments seems very habituated.

2. Early July CRE trip – black bear ripped tent.3. 47 parties reported one or more encounters with bears with no

problems. These encounters included sighting bears along theshoreline, bears near camp, and bears encountered while hiking.

4. “We had several bear encounters. All panned out without any problem.The bears only approached as far as was necessary to identify oursmell. Then they all took different paths to bypass us. We hadseparate sites for the food containers; they were never touched bythese bears.”

“Unfortunately, we arestill not getting theco-operation ofcommercial raftingcompanies reportingbear incidents. Theincidents we knowabout are a directresult of the AlsekRiver VIP interviewingcommercial andprivate rafters at theDry Bay campground”(Rick Mossman,Yakutat DistrictRanger)

1996 There were three known incidents with property damage and no injuries.1. A grizzly bear ripped a hole in a raft on the bank at Silver Creek while

trying to get at food in coolers. The bear did not get any food and wasscared away by the rafters although he stayed in the area until theyleft.

2. A large black bear entered a camp on river left 2 miles below theTatshenshini and Alsek confluence and could not be scared out byyelling, rocks, banging pots or nearby gunshots. It entered five tents,found no food and did minor damage to one tent then left the area.

3. A young black bear entered a camp on Gateway Knob and enteredseveral tents while most of the group was hiking. The group attemptedto scare it with flares, yelling, rocks, and pepper spray (ineffective inthe wind) without much effect. The bear tore two tents and left with alavender Patagonia pullover when four commercial guides advanced onit as a group.

4. We received 11 other reports of bears uncomfortably close that wereunafraid or curious, but did not enter campsites. Only two groups didnot see bears during their trips. Except 2 young grizzly bears atWalker Glacier (seen 3 times, but they stayed at least 100 yards fromcampsites) there was no consistent pattern to these incidents.

“Reporting of bearincidents andsightings wasgenerally better thanin 1995.”

1997 Private groups:1. A bear was reported in a camp at the Novatak Glacier.2. A bear was reported in a camp at Alsek Lake Spit.3. A black bear in a camp at Sediments Creek did not respond to spray,

rocks, or “bear banger”. Another group reported a bear at Sediments(within 100 yards of camp) about the same time, most likely the samebear.

4. Two groups reported a bear circled a camp at Silver Creek.5. Dry Bay had periodic bear problems including a flattened campsite.Commercial groups:



Year Bear – Human Interactions Reported Permit SystemReport Comments

1. Sediments Creek; black bear within 100 yards of camp.2. Sediments Creek; a brownish black bear came into kitchen area while

clients were within 15 yards. Knocked over propane tank and kitchenbox. Sat and watched camp within 10 yards of camp.

3. Purple Haze; young bear dragged off one bag (was recovered).4. Border hike; black bear came about 20 feet towards the group but

moved away quickly.5. Below Reynolds; cubs came twice into camp.6. One ran through camp enroute to swimming in Tatshenshini.

1998 Private groups:1. Black bear approximately 1 mile above Ninetyeighter Creek. Ran away

at first then returned 20 minutes later, stared, then slowly walkedaway.

2. One 3.5 year old trotted toward us in a curious, non-aggressivemanner.

3. One followed us down river about 50 yards from Sediments Creek.4. Towagh Creek; grizzly within 50 yards of kitchen, air horn slowly

deterred him.5. Towagh Creek; grizzly bear walked into our kitchen, was not afraid,

meandered away.6. Grizzly at 1 night campsite ran at us. We ran to our boats and he left.7. Dune camp on Alsek Lake; walked into camp while we were eating

dinner.8. Silver Creek; in camp, acted both unusually and in an aggressive

manner.9. Someone called “Bob” on private group due out at Dry Bay on 30th

September boasted about harassing a bear and then eating its salmon.Commercial groups:1. Confluence of Tatshenshini and Alsek; subadult who would not leave

as we tried to stop. We moved on to another camp below ReynoldsGlacier.

2. Sediments Creek; sighting, did not seem afraid; possibly habituated topeople.

On several Alsek River raft trips and on the Tatshenshini River and lower Alsek River trip we used anelectric fence to assess its feasibility in field situations (Wellwood and MacHutchon 1999a, b). Thefence took relatively little space and most campsites had a substrate that facilitated installation of thefence. With some practice, complete set-up, including moving food from rafts, took less than 30minutes. The shortcomings of electric fences were:• Fences were subject to human error. Fences that are not set up properly will be ineffective;• Not all campsites had a substrate suitable for setting up an electric fence;• Removing food from rafts is time and labour intensive.



Proposed Strategies1. Provide information on managing human food and garbage to river users through an active

public education and bear awareness program (see section 6.3).2. River users should be required to have at least one person stay with boats or at campsites

when others in the group go hiking.3. Management agencies should provide information on the recommended actions to take if a

bear approaches a raft or the campsite while others in the group are away.4. Management agencies should encourage river users to bear-proof their food. If bears are

prevented from accessing human food and garbage, there will be a significant reduction inthe number of bears becoming food-conditioned and in the possible consequences such asdamaged equipment or human injury or death. In addition, fewer food-conditioned bearswould be killed and management agencies would save considerable time, effort and moneyif they do not have to deal with food-conditioned bears.

5. Management agencies should investigate methods for bear-proofing food that would bepractical and acceptable to river users and implement these methods as soon as possible. Itwill be a challenge is to develop a bear resistant food storage system that is compact,affordable and as easy to use as possible. There are bear proof food canisters available forsmall groups and there are an increasing number of bear-resistant containers available thatmay be appropriate for large raft groups. The development of a bear-proof cooler or boxsuitable for raft frames seems to be the most practical solution. Other options could beelectric fences around food containers or permanent bear-resistant containers or caches atcampsites, but both methods would require food containers to be hauled from rafts.

6. Management agencies should inform people of the potential risks to people, equipment, andbears of not bear proofing food and attractants. People should understand that a problembear might not necessarily be their fault, it may be a result of the actions of people that wereat a campsite before them.

7. River users should be encouraged to report bear – human incidents as soon as possible andmanagement agencies should respond immediately.

8. When practical methods are in place for bear proofing of human food and garbage, bear-proof storage of food and garbage should be made mandatory for all river users. Once thismandatory policy is in effect, established penalties for improper food and garbage storageor handling, particularly if a bear problem develops. People are motivated to followguidelines when there is a potential economic loss to disregarding them. Penalties forprivate groups would likely have to be monetary, but penalties to commercial groups couldinclude revoking their park use permits for a portion of the following year or for good inextreme cases. This kind of policy can increase the incentive for all river users to put peerpressure on groups that are not following the guidelines because everyone will suffer theconsequences of someone’s mistakes. Potential disadvantages are that it would be achallenge to set tangible targets or limits that define “improper food and garbage handling”and there would be additional costs to the management agencies in time and money,particularly for enforcement.



9. Required use of a fire pan for all fires. Bears would not be attracted to campsites becauseof food spills or improperly burned garbage in fire pits, the aesthetics of campsites would bemore easily maintained, and there would not be an accumulation of fire pits at campsites.

10. Ensure that the mandatory collection and carrying out of human waste implemented byGlacier Bay National Park is supported and promoted by the other management agencies.Requiring use of a portable toilet for human waste has a number of advantages, includingbears are not attracted to campsites because of human waste, people’s movements to aspecific toilet location can be more predictable to bears, there would be less risk of peopleencountering or displacing bears in adjacent forests, campsites would not become humanwaste dumps, and there would be less risk of contaminating the river, which is also the maindrinking water supply.

11. Focussed management effort, including perhaps aversive conditioning or campsite closure,appears to be required by BC Parks at and near Sediments Creek campsite to reduce thenumber of bear – human incidents.

12. BC Parks should take immediate action to ensure that human food or garbage is notavailable to bears at any outfitting camp on the Tatshenshini River or Alsek River during theoff-season.

13. Yukon Department of Renewable Resources should take action to ensure that human foodor garbage is not available at Sawshe/Dalton Post, the Klukshu weir and camp, fishingcamps, or outfitting camps along the upper Tatshenshini River.

6.3 Public Education and Awareness

ObjectiveEnable and encourage river users to actively reduce their risk of negative encounters with bears.

BackgroundThe success of any park management program is dependent on well-informed and conscientiouspark users (Jingfors 1995). This requires interesting and effective public education materials,but it also requires knowledgeable and conscientious park staff. Visitors to the TatshenshiniRiver and Alsek River generally will be interested in the environment and the animals that livethere. Interpretative information that increases their understanding of bear ecology can alsoincrease their appreciation and respect for bears and motivate them to make the extra effortnecessary to minimize conflicts (Jingfors 1995). In addition, people are more likely to endorseprocedural guidelines if they understand the negative implications to bears and other wildlife ofnot following them.

A Kluane National Park bear awareness survey on the Alsek River revealed that many peoplewere not actively taking measures to avoid encounters with bears such as, looking for bear sign,making noise, and preparing by reading bear safety literature (Dill et al. 1997, Wellwood andMacHutchon 1999a). If people ignore these simple precautions, the potential for a surpriseencounter with a bear is high. Wellwood and MacHutchon (1999a, b) also found that groupson the Alsek River increased their potential for conflict with bears because:



1. To ensure privacy, portable toilets were placed far from the main group in dense bush,sometimes upwind of the campsite. People approaching the toilet made little noise, thuspotentially surprising a bear in the area, and

2. No private or commercial river users were observed storing food in bear-proof containers.Several groups secured food in dry bags or in coolers tied closed with webbing straps.Both of these methods may reduce odours that could attract bears, however they would notstop a bear that was intent on obtaining food.

Native people have been living and travelling on the land for thousands of years. They likelyhave learned ways to co-exist with all wildlife, including bears and this way of life needs to berespected. Non-native cultures in North America have also learned of ways to co-exist withbears, so there is lots of information and some technology available from several sources thatcould make living and travelling on the land safe for both humans and bears. Relevantinformation on human safety around bears could be compiled from this variety of sources andprovided to everyone living, working, or travelling along the Tatshenshini and lower Alsekrivers.

Parks Canada revised their “You are in Bear Country” brochure in 1999 and it contains up todate information. Parks Canada and the U.S. National Parks Service have also financiallycontributed to the production of a video on human safety in bear country, titled “Staying Safein Bear Country”, that is being produced by an independent steering committee backed by theInternational Association for Bear Research and Management. Production is targeted forcompletion in fall 2000.

Proposed Strategies1. All park staff who will be dealing with the public should receive comprehensive bear safety

orientation training. Without a good understanding of the principles and practices of stayingsafe around bears, staff will not be able to respond to important questions that may beasked by visitors and they may end up perpetuating misinformation.

2. Management agencies should collectively develop education materials for commercial andprivate groups on bear awareness, camp cleanliness, food choices, disposal of gray-water,disposal of human waste, and bear encounter strategies. Education materials could becontained within a pre-trip information package and should focus on the importance of bothunderstanding and applying the principles covered. The overall goal of education materialsand pre-trip information should be to ensure that people understand how and why:a) they can be proactive in reducing risk to themselves and others and their impact on

bears;b) their actions may unnecessarily increase risk to themselves and the people that follow

them; andc) the potential consequences of their mistakes are food-conditioned bears being shot,

more restrictions on human use of the river, and potential financial penalties. There would be additional cost to the management agencies to implement a comprehensivepublic education program, however, the benefits of education and awareness will outweigh



any short-term costs and can reduce potential bear – human conflicts that will cost money torespond to.

3. Public education programs that focus on bears should include information on ways to travelin bear country to avoid bear encounters and to avoid inadvertently displacing bears fromimportant habitats. MacDougall et al. (1997) and Wellwood and MacHutchon (1999a, b)suggested the following for pre-trip information packages:a) How to differentiate between grizzly and black bears based on appearance and field

sign;b) Information specifically directed at grizzly and black bear ecology in the area. Describe

the ecological characteristics of the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River that are relevantto people understanding the food habits, distribution, and movements of bears in theparks. This type of information can be beneficial for both decreasing bear – humaninteractions and increasing the appreciation and understanding of bears in the parks;

c) A discussion of the processes of habituation and food-conditioning;d) Information on how to avoid attracting bears to a campsite, including campsite selection,

and food, garbage and waste management;e) Information on safe hiking in bear country;f) A statement that an encounter may occur despite all necessary precautions and general

guidelines on how to behave during a bear encounter;g) An introduction to the bear – human interaction monitoring program (see section 6.5);h) Locations or contacts for reporting all observations or problem bear behaviour; andi) Further information and suggested readings. Visitors should be encouraged to read the “You are in Bear Country” brochure or similarinformation in the pre-trip information package. Visitors also should be provided with theopportunity to view the “Safety in Bear Country” video that is currently being produced.

4. Promote a “pack in/pack out” policy to park visitors.5. Properly identify the dangers of approaching bears too closely and the legal implications of

feeding or harassing wildlife.6. Request that visitors record and report any bear observations, encounters or incidents to

parks staff (see section 6.5).7. Recommend that visitors travel in a group of six or more people when travelling on the river

and camping. As the popularity of river travel continues to rise, the level of private use isexpected to increase and there likely will be an increase in the number of smaller groups.Bears can act more aggressively towards small groups than large groups (Herrero 1985,Albert and Bowyer 1991), therefore bears may be more likely to try and obtain human foodfrom small groups.

8. Consider recommending that visitors carry a deterrent against bear attacks, such as bearspray (also known as red pepper or capsicum spray). Although bear spray is notguaranteed effective in preventing attack, it has frequently proved successful. Noise-makers, such as air horns or cracker shells, also may be effective in deterring bears in somesituations.



9. Encourage the publishing of accurate, up-to-date information by providing current bearawareness and pre-trip information materials for use in any guidebooks published onrecreation along the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River.

10. Compile any First Nation knowledge about human safety around bears that can be used inthe bear awareness material made available to park visitors. In turn, provide local nativegroups with materials available from other sources on human safety around bears.

6.4 Human Use

ObjectiveLimit the timing of group departures, group size, and time on the river to:1) make human use more predictable to bears in time and space, and2) minimize the indirect human impacts on bears of regular disturbance, habitat displacement,

and potential barriers to movement.

BackgroundThere is some data on the thresholds of human use that are tolerable by bears (Olson andGilbert 1994, Chi and Gilbert unpubl. manuscript), however, it is difficult to generalize the actualdisturbance levels from one area to another. Bears with different experiences with people canhave different responses to the same level of disturbance. Generally, wary bears thatexperience neutral interactions with people, including not being harassed, hunted or shot at, willeventually habituate to groups of people on the river and be less disturbed by them. Thenumber of bears tolerant or habituated to people and their level of use of an area likelyincreases, reaches an asymptote and then decreases as human use increases (Mattson 1990).This asymptote or threshold of human use is unknown, however, the USDA Forest Service(1990), in the development of a cumulative effects model (CEM) for grizzly bears, adopted athreshold level of 80 parties/month over which human use was considered high intensity.Gibeau et al. (1996) and Gibeau (1998) subsequently defined the threshold between high andlow human use in Banff National Park as 100 people/month.

Human use of the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River is officially managed through separatepolicies established by the different management agencies. Glacier Bay National Parkdeveloped an Alsek River Visitor Use Management Plan in 1989. British Columbia has theRiver Rafting Standards and Regulations of British Columbia (also accepted by theGovernment of the Yukon Territory), BC Parks Bear-Human Conflict Reduction Guidelinesfor River Rafting (produced in 1998), and the 1995 Environmental and Safety Standardsand Ethics for Expeditions on the Tatshenshini and Alsek Rivers. Kluane National Parkupdated their Alsek River Management Guidelines in 1996. There is need for a co-ordinatedand co-operative joint river management plan that is endorsed and regulated by all managementagencies.

Glacier Bay National Park’s Alsek River Visitor Use Management Plan was developed toestablish the policies and procedures to guide management of visitor use on the portion of the



Alsek River watershed within Glacier Bay National Park. They set limits on total use, allocationof trips, scheduling of trips, group size, and stay limit. Glacier National Park’s current policy isto allow a maximum of one take-out at Dry Bay each day and BC Parks and Parks Canadahave scheduling agreements with commercial groups that limit departures to one per day on theTatshenshini River and Alsek River.

On the Alsek River specifically, Parks Canada is moving towards more limited use by reserving51% of the departure days for the ‘resource’ (i.e., no departures) and 49% of the departuredays for users. User days would then be split between commercial and private groupsaccording to historic use patterns. Commercial users endorsed a similar concept at a raftingmeeting in 1997, provided that they could maintain historic use levels (T. Elliot, Parks Canada,pers. comm.). Recently, there has been an increase in demand for longer trips on the AlsekRiver, which may allow user days to exceed historic levels if an upper limit is not identified. (T.Elliot and K. McLaughlin, Parks Canada, pers. comm.). Increased user days would underminemanagement actions to try and limit departure days. Kluane National Park limits group sizes onthe Alsek River to 15 people including guides, however some commercial groups are permittedto have groups of 25 under a grandfather agreement. Private groups run trips on both theTatshenshini River and Alsek River, but most recreational use of both these rivers is bycommercial rafting companies.

Proposed Strategies1. Develop an interagency or international Tatshenshini River and Alsek River Management

Plan that clearly states the human use objectives for the Tatshenshini River and Alsek Riverdrainages.

2. Maintain the policy of only one group departure each day or reduce departures to everyother day.

3. Formally identify and implement a quota for the maximum number of departures on a permonth basis.

4. Formally identify the maximum number of nights per party that can be spent on the river.Strategies 2 to 4 will help prevent user days and, therefore, potential displacement of bearsfrom increasing.

5. Encourage people to restrict their activity to a small area around campsites except wherethere are specified trails or hiking routes. People’s activity at campsites would be morepredictable to bears and there would be less risk of people encountering or displacing bearsin adjacent forests.

6.5 Bear Sightings, Encounters & Incidents

ObjectiveEnsure that river users report bear – human interactions quickly and accurately and thatmanagement agencies respond appropriately to bear – human incidents.



BackgroundSightings or observations of bears can provide some qualitative information on the relativedistribution of bears along the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River and potential areas needingincreased management action. Bear – human encounters can provide the same qualitativeinformation as bear sightings, as well as information on the general wariness or level of human-habituation of bears along the rivers. Bear – human incidents or conflicts are serious events thatmay compromise or threaten human safety. They need to be responded to as quickly andefficiently as possible. Quick and accurate reporting would ensure that the agencies respondappropriately and area closure warnings could be given to departing groups. Encounters wouldnot need immediate action, however the future behaviour of the bear should be monitored.

Glacier Bay National Park currently has an Alsek/Tatshenshini River Trip Survey form thatincludes questions about both campsite use and bear sightings, encounters and incidents.Kluane National Park currently has a park-wide Bear Observation Form. A common BearObservation Form that is developed and endorsed by all management agencies would bebeneficial in standardizing data collection and reducing the number of forms that visitors have tofill out.

To date, the return success of bear observation forms in Kluane National Park has been low(K. McLaughlin, Parks Canada, pers. comm.). This may be partly because river users believethat the information will be used to reduce their freedom on the river, which, depending on thecircumstances, may be the case. However, gaining the co-operation of commercial groups maybe more achievable if they are aware that the information is intended to help maintain theecological integrity of the river and protect bear populations. The low return of forms may alsobe because the forms are not standardised and they are not easy to submit. When there aremultiple forms it takes extra effort to become familiar with each. For many river users gettingaway from human induced inconveniences such as forms is likely part of the attraction ofwilderness travel. In addition, commercial guides have many details they must attend to prior,during and after each trip. This leaves little time to complete and submit the bear observationforms.

Proposed Strategies1. Collaborate among management agencies on a Bear Observation Form, printed on

waterproof paper, which can be given to all river users on the Tatshenshini River and AlsekRiver. Include enough detail to achieve an interagency wide database, but make the formsas user friendly and as short as possible. Appendix 3 is a proposed interagency BearObservation Form that was adapted from the Kluane National Park Bear ObservationForm. This form could be the basis of an interagency data collection protocol incombination with an interagency Campsite Use form (see section 5.3). Park staff shouldprovide an overview of the data form to the leader of each private group prior to theirdeparture.



2. Management agencies should include emergency contact phone numbers on the BearObservation Form for reporting bear – human incidents if the group has a satellite phoneor immediately upon their arrival in Dry Bay.

3. The form should ask people to report animal carcasses in the vicinity of bear observations.River users should be warned to avoid areas where a carcass has been observed andencouraged to report the observation as soon as possible so that following parties can bewarned.

4. Encourage all visitors to submit the forms to the rangers or other parks staff at Dry Bay andsupport Glacier Bay National Park's efforts to collect information in person at Dry Bay.Also include the mailing address of the management agencies on each form and anaddressed stamped envelope. Investigate methods to provide incentive for returning forms.Co-operation from commercial groups should be considered favourably in their permitevaluation. A post season reminder to groups that have not submitted forms may increasesubmission success rates. If forms are not being submitted it may be necessary to maketheir return a mandatory condition in the licensing agreement. For private groups, someform of token reward in the form of a park souvenir may increase submission rates.

5. Management agencies should include definitions of bear observations, encounters andincidents in the pre-trip information package.

6. Develop a co-operative communication arrangement among management agencies for thesharing of information on bear – human interactions occurring along and near theTatshenshini River and Alsek River.

7. Use the bear sighting, encounter, and incident database to evaluate potential problem areasalong the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River.

8. Conduct a detailed review of the bear sightings, encounters, and incidents recorded on pastGlacier Bay National Park Alsek/Tatshenshini River Trip Survey forms. Try toincorporate this data into the interagency wide database developed with the new reportingforms.

9. Conduct an annual pre-season training session for rangers, wardens and other park staff todiscuss the purpose and importance of the data that is being collected on bear sightings,encounters, and incidents.

.



Table 6. The suggested time-frame for the implementation of the proposed bearmanagement strategies, discussed in detail in sections 6.1 to 6.5, for the TatshenshiniRiver and lower Alsek River, Yukon, B.C., and Alaska.

Section /Number

Strategies Implementation Stage

5 year 10 year5.3 Campsite Use

Objective – Reduce the risk of bear – human interaction at or nearcampsites, including the displacement of bears from feeding areasand direct bear – human encounters.

1 Encourage the use of recommended campsites and discourage useof those that are considered of moderate or higher risk of bear –human interaction.

√

2 If people are allowed to camp at sites with moderate or higher risksfor which additional restrictions have been suggested, then theyshould be warned of the potential risks of using these sites

√

3 All river travellers should be encouraged to closely follow safety inbear country principles when at campsites.

√

4 Collaborate among management agencies on a Campsite Use Form,printed on waterproof paper, which can be given to all river users onthe Tatshenshini River and Alsek River.

√

5 Monitor all campsites for increases in bear sightings, encounters, orincidents and close them if necessary.

√

6 Monitor the successes or failures of the campsite use restrictions byreviewing campsite use and bear – human interactions on an annualbasis.

√

7 Continue to investigate alternatives for additional low riskcampsites.

√

6.1 Interagency Co-operationObjectives –1. To ensure that management strategies are implemented co-

operatively among the agencies responsible for management ofvisitor use along the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River.

2. To ensure that information concerning bear – humaninteractions and visitor management policies are exchangedamong the co-operating management agencies.

1 Develop an interagency or international Tatshenshini River andAlsek River Bear Management Plan or Strategy that clearly statesthe bear management and human management objectives for theTatshenshini River and Alsek River drainages.

√

2 Develop a communications protocol, preferably within the BearManagement Plan, for exchanging information among agenciesregarding bear – human incidents.

√

3 Ensure that key Park Ranger or Warden staff obtain appropriatetraining in bear capture and immobilization.

√

4 Co-operate on an interagency annual report that summarizes bear –human interactions and campsite use and tracks changes in bearbehaviour and bear and human use of campsites.

√

5 Periodically present a summary of the results and a discussion ofthe annual reports to commercial operators.

√



Section /Number


5 year 10 year

6 Increase the frequency of interagency patrol trips on theTatshenshini River and Alsek River to ensure river travellers complywith guidelines and regulations.

√

6.2 Human Food and Garbage ManagementObjective – Ensure that bears on the Tatshenshini River and AlsekRiver do not become food-conditioned.

1 Provide information on managing human food and garbage to riverusers through an active public education and bear awarenessprogram (see section 6.3).

√

2 River users should be required to have at least one person stay withboats or at campsites when others in the group go hiking.

√

3 Management agencies should provide information on therecommended actions to take if a bear approaches a raft or thecampsite while others in the group are away.

√

4 Management agencies should encourage river users to bear-prooftheir food.

√

5 Management agencies should investigate methods for bear-proofing food that would be practical and acceptable to river usersand implement these methods as soon as possible.

√

6 Management agencies should inform people of the potential risks topeople, equipment, and bears of not bear proofing food andattractants.

√

7 River users should be encouraged to report bear – human incidentsas soon as possible and management agencies should respondimmediately.

√

8 When practical methods are in place for bear proofing of humanfood and garbage, bear-proof storage of food and garbage shouldbe made mandatory for all river users.

√

9 Required use of a fire pan for all fires. √

10 Ensure that the mandatory collection and carrying out of humanwaste implemented by Glacier Bay National Park is supported andpromoted by the other management agencies.

√

11 Focussed management effort, including perhaps aversiveconditioning or campsite closure, appears to be required by BCParks at and near Sediments Creek campsite to reduce the number ofbear – human incidents.

√

12 BC Parks should take immediate action to ensure that human food orgarbage is not available to bears at any outfitting camp on theTatshenshini River or Alsek River during their off-season.

√

13 Yukon Department of Renewable Resources should take action toensure that human food or garbage is not available atSawshe/Dalton Post, the Klukshu weir and camp, fishing camps, oroutfitting camps along the upper Tatshenshini River.

√

6.3 Public Education and AwarenessObjective – Enable and encourage river users to actively reducetheir risk of negative encounters with bears.

1 All park staff who will be dealing with the public should receivecomprehensive bear safety orientation training.

√



Section /Number


5 year 10 year

2 Management agencies should collectively develop educationmaterials for commercial and private groups on bear awareness,camp cleanliness, food choices, disposal of gray-water, disposal ofhuman waste, and bear encounter strategies.

√

3 Public education programs that focus on bears should includeinformation on ways to travel in bear country to avoid bearencounters and to avoid inadvertently displacing bears fromimportant habitats.

√

4 Promote a “pack in/pack out” policy to park visitors. √

5 Properly identify the dangers of approaching bears too closely andthe legal implications of feeding or harassing wildlife.

√

6 Request that visitors record and report any bear observations,encounters, or incidents to parks staff

√

7 Recommend that visitors travel in a group of six or more peoplewhen travelling on the river, camping, and hiking.

√

8 Consider recommending that visitors carry a deterrent against bearattacks.

√

9 Encourage the publishing of accurate, up-to-date information byproviding current bear awareness and pre-trip information materialsfor use in any guidebooks published on recreation along theTatshenshini River and Alsek River.

√

10 Compile any native knowledge about human safety around bearsthat can be used in the bear awareness material made available topark visitors.

√

6.4 Human UseObjective – Limit the timing of group departures, group size, andtime on the river to:1. make human use more predictable to bears in time and space,

and2. minimize the indirect human impacts on bears of regular

disturbance, habitat displacement, and potential barriers tomovement.

1 Develop an interagency or international Tatshenshini River andAlsek River Management Plan that clearly states the human useobjectives for the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River drainages.

√

2 Maintain the policy of only one group departure each day or reducedepartures to every other day.

√

3 Formally identify and implement a quota for the maximum number ofdepartures on a per month basis.

√

4 Formally identify the maximum number of nights per party that canbe spent on the river.

√

5 Encourage people to restrict their activity to a small area aroundcampsites except where there are specified trails or hiking routes.

√

6.5 Bear Sightings, Encounters & IncidentsObjective - Ensure that river users report bear – human interactionsquickly and accurately and that management agencies respondappropriately to bear – human incidents.



Section /Number


5 year 10 year

1 Collaborate among management agencies on a Bear ObservationForm, printed on waterproof paper, which can be given to all riverusers on the Tatshenshini River and Alsek River.

√

2 Management agencies should include emergency contact phonenumbers on the Bear Observation Form for reporting bear – humanincidents if the group has a satellite phone or immediately upon theirarrival in Dry Bay.

√

3 The form should ask people to report animal carcasses in thevicinity of bear observations.

√

4 Encourage all visitors to submit the forms to the rangers or otherparks staff at Dry Bay and support Glacier Bay National Park'sefforts to collect information in person at Dry Bay.

√

5 Management agencies should include definitions of bearobservations, encounters and incidents in the pre-trip informationpackage.

√

6 Develop a co-operative communication arrangement amongmanagement agencies for the sharing of information on bear –human interactions occurring along and near the Tatshenshini Riverand Alsek River.

√

7 Use the bear sighting, encounter, and incident database to evaluatepotential problem areas along the Tatshenshini River and AlsekRiver.

√

8 Conduct a detailed review of the bear sightings, encounters, andincidents recorded on past Glacier Bay National ParkAlsek/Tatshenshini River Trip Survey forms.

√

9 Conduct an annual pre-season training session for rangers, wardensand other park staff to discuss the purpose and importance of thedata that is being collected on bear sightings, encounters, andincidents.

√



7.0 LITERATURE CITEDAlbert, D.M., and R.T. Bowyer. 1991. Factors relating to grizzly bear-human interactions in

Denali National Park. Wildlife Society Bulletin. 19:339-349.

Askey. E., and P. Williams. 1992. Tatshenshini-Alsek River use study. Centre for TourismPolicy and Research, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby. 100 pp. + app.

BC Environment. 1996. Human-bear conflict in British Columbia: draft discussion paper.B.C. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Victoria. 70 pp.

Chi, D.K., and B.K.Gilbert. Manuscript. Habitat security for Alaskan black bear at keyforaging sites: are there thresholds for human disturbance? Ursus:000:000.

Ciarniello, L.M. 1996. Management plan to reduce negative human-black bear interactions:Liard River Hot Springs Provincial Park, British Columbia. M.Sc. Thesis. University ofCalgary, Calgary. 228 pp.

Dalle-Molle, J.L., and J.C. Van Horn. 1989. Bear-people conflict management in DenaliNational Park, Alaska. Pages 121-127 in NWT Department of Renewable Resources,Bear-people conflicts: proceedings of a symposium on management strategies, Yellowknife,N.W.T.

Dill, S., S. Jackson, and P. Wright. 1997. Kluane wilderness study. Centre for TourismPolicy and Research, School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon FraserUniversity, Burnaby.

Douglas, G.W. 1974. Montane zone vegetation of the Alsek River region, southwesternYukon. Canadian Journal of Botany 52:2505-2532.

Fuhr, B., and A. Edie. 1990. Tatshenshini grizzly bear reconnaissance. B.C. Ministry ofEnvironment, Smithers. 4 pp.

Geddes Resources Limited. 1990. Windy Craggy Project. Stage 1 Environmental ImpactAssessment. Geddes Resources Limited, Vancouver.

Gibeau, M.L. 1998. Grizzly bear habitat effectiveness model for Banff, Yoho, and KootenayNational Parks, Canada. Ursus:235-241.

_____, S. Herrero, J.L. Kansas, and B. Benn. 1996. Grizzly bear population and habitatstatus in Banff National Park: a report to the Banff Bow Valley Task force. University ofCalgary, Alberta. 62 pp.



Gilbert, B.K. 1989. Behaviourial plasticity and bear - human conflicts. Pages 1-8 in NWTDepartment of Renewable Resources, Bear-people conflicts: proceedings of a symposium onmanagement strategies, Yellowknife, N.W.T.

Gunther, K.A. 1990. Visitor impact on grizzly bear activity in Pelican Valley, YellowstoneNational Park. International Conference on Bear Research and Management 8:73-78.

_____. 1994. Bear management in Yellowstone National Park, 1960-1993. InternationalConference on Bear Research and Management 9:549-560.

Hegmann G. 1995. A cumulative effects assessment of proposed projects in Kluane NationalPark Reserve, Yukon Territory. Environmental Research Centre, University of Calgary,Calgary. 135 pp.

Herrero, S. 1985. Bear attacks: their causes and avoidance. Lyons and Burford, New York.287 pp.

_____. 1989. The role of learning in some fatal grizzly bear attacks on people. Pages 9-14 inNWT Department of Renewable Resources, Bear-people conflicts: proceedings of asymposium on management strategies, Yellowknife, N.W.T.

_____, and S. Fleck. 1990. Injury to humans inflicted by black, grizzly bears or polar bears:recent trends and new insights. International Conference on Bear Research and Management8:25-32.

_____, A. Holcroft Weerstra, R.M. Roth, and L. Wiggins. 1993. The conservationsignificance of bears and their habitat in the Tatshenshini River Valley. Canadian WildlifeFederation, Ottawa. 34 pp.

Holcroft, A.C. 1986. Aspects of black bear ecology and campground planning insouthwestern Alberta. M.Sc. Thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary. 90 pp.

Jackson, S., and P. Wright. 1998. Policy and research. Simon Fraser University, Burnaby.

Jingfors, K. 1995. Bear - people conflict prevention plan. BC Parks, B.C. Ministry ofEnvironment, Lands and Parks, Victoria. 45 pp.

Jope, K.L. 1985. Implications of grizzly bear habituation to hikers. Wildlife Society Bulletin13:32-37.

Liddle, W.B. 1994. The value of wilderness, an socio-economic perspective on thetransborder protected areas of Yukon, Alaska and British Columbia. Pages 350-352 in J.



Peepre and B Jickling, eds. Northern Protected Areas and Wilderness. Canadian Parksand Wilderness Society and Yukon College, Whitehorse and Jasper Printing Group,Edmonton.

Lofroth, E.C., and T. Mahon. 1993. Vertebrate fauna observed in the Tatshenshini Region ofnorthwestern British Columbia. B.C. Ministry of Environment, Lands, and Parks, Smithers.40 pp.

MacDougall, S, W. McCrory, and S. Herrero. 1997. A study of grizzly (Ursus arctos) andblack bear (Ursus americanus) food habits and habitat use and a bear hazard assessment ofthe Rabbit Lake Area of Nahanni National Park Reserve, N.W.T. Canadian Heritage, ParksCanada. 157pp.

_____, M. Wall, F. Wall, and C. Wong. 1998. A grizzly bear risk assessment of campsites inthe Slims Valley – Sheep Mountain area of Kluane National Park. Parks Canada, Prairieand Northern Region, Winnipeg. 86 pp.

MacHutchon, A.G. 1989. Spring and summer food habits of black bears in the Pelly River,Yukon. Northwest Science 63:116-118.

_____. 1996. Grizzly bear habitat use study, Ivvavik National Park, Yukon. Final Report.Western Arctic District, Parks Canada, Inuvik. 142 pp.

_____. 1998a. Grizzly bear habitat evaluation, Taku River Valley, B.C. Taku River TlingitFirst Nation, Atlin. 11 pp.

_____. 1998b. Bear hazard evaluation at campsites on the Babine River, B.C. B.C. Ministryof Environment, Lands and Parks, BC Parks, Smithers. 44 pp.

_____, and S. Himmer. 1997. Bear hazard evaluation, Anhluut’ukwsim LaxmihlAngwinga’asanskwhl Nisga’a (Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Park). B.C. Ministry ofEnvironment, Lands and Parks, BC Parks, Terrace. 54 pp.

_____, and B.L. Smith. 1990. Ecology, status and harvest of black bears (Ursusamericanus) in the Yukon. Yukon Fish and Wildlife Branch, Whitehorse. 113 pp.

Mattson, D. J. 1990. Human impacts on bear habitat use. International Conference on BearResearch and Management 8:33-56.

McCann, R.K. 1994. Kluane National Park grizzly bear research project: year-end report-1993. Parks Canada, Kluane National Park and Reserve, Haines Junction. 43 pp.



_____. 1998. Kluane National Park grizzly bear research project. Interim final report toaccompany the project review, October 21 & 22, 1998. Parks Canada, Kluane NationalPark and Reserve, Haines Junction. 128 pp.

McCullough, D.R. 1982. Behaviour, bears, and humans. Wildlife Society Bulletin 10:27-33.

McLellan, B.N. 1990. Relationships between human industrial activities and grizzly bears.International Conference on Bear Research and Management 8:57-64.

_____, and D.M. Shackleton. 1989. Immediate reactions of grizzly bears to human activities.Wildlife Society Bulletin 17:269-274.

Olson, T.L., and B.K. Gilbert. 1994. Variable impacts of people on brown bear use of anAlaskan River. International Conference on Bear Research and Management 9:97-106.

Pearson, A.M. 1975. The northern interior grizzly bear, Ursus arctos L. Canadian WildlifeService Report No. 34. 86 pp.

Peepre, J.S., and Associates. 1992. Tatshenshini-Alsek Region wilderness study, BritishColumbia. Tatshenshini Wilderness Study Steering Committee, B.C. 112 pp.

Simpson, K. 1992. Tatshenshini wildlife habitat evaluation. B.C. Ministry of Environment,Lands and Parks, Smithers. 29 pp.

Warner, S. 1987. Visitor impact on brown bears, Admiralty Island, Alaska. InternationalConference on Bear Research and Management 7:377-382.

U.S.D.A. Forest Service. 1990. CEM - a model for assessing effects on grizzly bears.U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Region 1, Missoula, Montana. 24 pp.

Wellwood, D.W. 1997. Risk assessment of grizzly bear – human interactions at campsites onthe Alsek River, Kluane National Park, Yukon. Parks Canada, Prairie and NorthernRegion, Winnipeg. 120 pp.

_____, and A.G. MacHutchon. 1999a. Risk assessment of bear – human conflict at campsiteson the Alsek River, Kluane National Park, Yukon. Parks Canada, Kluane National Parkand Reserve, Haines Junction. 64 pp.

_____, and _____. 1999b. Risk assessment of bear – human conflict at campsites on theAlsek River, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park, British Columbia. BC Parks, Skeena District,Smithers. 56 pp.



_____, and _____. 1999c. Risk assessment of bear – human interaction at campsites on theAlsek River, Kluane National Park, Yukon: addendum to July 1999 report. Parks Canada,Kluane National Park and Reserve, Haines Junction. 19 pp.

_____, and _____. 1999d. Risk assessment of bear-human interaction along the CottonwoodTrail, Kluane National Park, Yukon. Parks Canada, Kluane National Park and Reserve,Haines Junction. 62 pp.

_____, and _____. 1999e. Risk assessment of bear – human conflict along the DonjekWilderness Route, Kluane National Park and Reserve, Yukon. Parks Canada, KluaneNational Park and Reserve, Haines Junction. 34 pp.

_____, and _____. 2000. Risk assessment of bear – human interaction in the Mush & BatesLakes area, Kluane National Park, Yukon. Parks Canada, Kluane National Park andReserve, Haines Junction. 57 pp.

Yang, J.Y., and S. Graham. 1994. A study of the plant communities found along theTatshenshini and Alsek rivers. BC Parks, Smithers. 46 pp.



Appendix 1. Bear food plant ratings at campsites along the Tatshenshini River and lower Alsek River, 1999.Common Name TY01 TY02 TY03 TY04 TK05 TK06 TT07 TT08 TT09 TT10 Trail-

TT11TT11 TT12 TT13 TT14

bearroot, sweet-vetch M L L L L L L

bluejoint H H

clasping twistedstalk

cow-parsnip L M-H M M

currant M-H H

devil's club M M

field locoweed L M L L L L-M H H L L

fireweed M L H H

grasses L H M

highbush-cranberry L L L L L-M H L-M H L M

horsetail L L H H M-H M-H M-H L H

kinnikinnick H L L L L L L H M L-M L

lady fern H L

mountain-ash M

mountain sorrel

northern ground-cone

pacific hemlock-parsley

prickly rose M L L L L M-H H H L-M

purple-leaved willowherb

red currant M

red elderberry L L

red raspberry M H

red-osier dogwood L

salmonberry

saskatoon L L

sedges M L

soapberry, soopolallie H L H H M-H H M M H H H L L

stinging nettle L

stink currant L

strawberry

sweet-cicely L L L



willow M-H

Appendix 1. Continued.Common Name TT15 TT16 TT17 TT18 TT19 TT20 TT21 TT22 TT23 AT110 AT111 AT112 AT113 AT114bearroot, sweet-vetch M L L L-M L-M L-M

bluejoint

clasping twistedstalk

cow-parsnip L-M L L-M

currant H

devil's club M H

field locoweed M-H M M H L-M H H H L L L-M L-M L-M M-H

fireweed L-M L L M L L

grasses L-M M M L

highbush-cranberry H L M M-H M H L-M M-H

horsetail M-H H L L-M L-M

kinnikinnick H H M L H L-M L L L M

lady fern L-M

mountain-ash M L L-M

mountain sorrel

northern ground-cone M L

pacific hemlock-parsley

prickly rose M-H L-M M L-M H L-M L-M

purple-leaved willowherb

red currant L-M

red elderberry L

red raspberry L

red-osier dogwood M-H L H L L

salmonberry

saskatoon M L-M M L-M M

sedges L-M

soapberry, soopolallie H L M H L-M M M-H M M L L L M-H

stinging nettle M

stink currant

strawberry

sweet-cicely L L



willow

Appendix 1. Continued.Common Name AG201 Trail-

AG202AG202a-c AG202d AG203 AG204 AG205 AG206a&

bAG207 AG208 AG209 AG210 AG211

bearroot, sweet-vetch L H H H L L

bluejoint

clasping twistedstalk L

cow-parsnip M-H H L M-H L L M-H

currant L-M

devil's club L M L M L

field locoweed L M-H H L L L M M L

fireweed M

grasses M M M L H H M M-H L H

highbush-cranberry L-M

horsetail L-M L M L-M L L L L L M-H

kinnikinnick

lady fern M L L L-M

mountain-ash

mountain sorrel H

northern ground-cone H L-M L M L-M L M-H

pacific hemlock-parsley L

prickly rose

purple-leaved willowherb L L

red currant

red elderberry L L M

red raspberry

red-osier dogwood

salmonberry L-M L L-M

saskatoon

sedges H M L M L

soapberry, soopolallie L

stinging nettle

stink currant L H

strawberry L-M L L L M L H



sweet-cicely M L M

willow M L-M



Appendix 2. Individual campsite assessments along the Tatshenshini River and lowerAlsek River, 1999.

TY01 – Shaw’ashe/Dalton Post Put-in, Yukon

Highest Displacement Concern: Late Summer – Moderate to HighHighest Encounter Concern: Late Summer – HighCampsite Description: Frequent-use campsite. Mixed white spruce and balsam polar forestwith road openings and an opening for camping cut from the forest. Dense understory ofsoapberry, kinnikinnick, some prickly rose, patches of fireweed, and common juniper.Numerous fire rings.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L-M Summer: M-H Late Summer: HBear Travel Concerns – High. Salmon in the area, good soapberry patches, travel to theKlukshu weir.Visibility Concerns – High. Surrounded by forest or shrubs.Other Sensory Concerns – Low. River is quiet here.Bear Animal Foods – Salmon carcasses in eddies.Bear Sign – Two vegetation/horsetail scats on road; several well used human/wildlife trails inthe area.

TY02 – Gravel bar above Village Creek, Yukon

Highest Displacement Concern: Late Summer – ModerateHighest Encounter Concern: Late Summer – ModerateCampsite Description: Frequent-use campsite.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L-M Summer: L Late Summer: MBear Travel Concerns – Moderate.Visibility Concerns – Low.Other Sensory Concerns – Low.Bear Animal Foods – Salmon that have possibly washed into eddy; lots of bear tracks on sandbar. Salmon fry in back channels. Winter moose sign and calf track. Ants in old logs andunder rocks; old and fresh logs pulled apart.Bear Sign – Tracks from five bears (four adults and one yearling) along beach. Several olderbearroot digs on gravel bar; holes that may be old digs. Logs pulled apart - one at kitchen area,one on gravel bar to south behind alder and one southwest of camp. Cranberry/soapberry scat.Potential salmon season beds in gravel bar.

TY03 – Squaw Creek Mouth, Yukon

Highest Displacement Concern: Late Summer – Moderate to HighHighest Encounter Concern: Late Summer – Moderate to HighCampsite Description: Frequent-use campsite. Lots of very weathered boards in backchannel debris as well as sawn logs. Series of old back channels - mostly dry to moist with



horsetail and grasses, turning to thick alder and willow upstream. Good trail runs along firstbench in forest, becoming a maze of trails upstream.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L Summer: L-M Late Summer: HBear Travel Concerns – Moderate. Steep hill across river. Bears could be funnelled fromcanyon above. Trail and road along Squaw Creek lead to camp. Not easy movement in thickshrubs on flats.Visibility Concerns – Moderate. However, more confined than TY02.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate. River noise relatively high.Bear Animal Foods – Old winter and spring moose scats. Ants - older logs torn apart.Bear Sign – Old tracks worn into sand/mud. Horsetail and crowberry scat (dark with verysmall oval seeds, approximately one week old); soapberry scat (with small amount ofcrowberry). Grizzly bear hair. Older 17cm tracks along active back channel; female andyearling tracks before last rain. Trail along creek; mark tree.

TY04 – Upstream side of Silver Creek, Yukon

Highest Displacement Concern: Late Summer – Moderate to HighHighest Encounter Concern: Late Summer – Moderate to HighCampsite Description: Frequent-use campsite. Lots of evidence of former hunting/miningcamps along creek.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L Summer: L Late Summer: HBear Travel Concerns – Low.Visibility Concerns – Moderate. Low on cobble bar; high in poplar forest.Other Sensory Concerns – Low.Bear Animal Foods – Lots of winter moose sign. Old beaver sign - lots of chewed poplar.Ants and larvae under rocks. Lots of logs and ant mounds torn apart; huge flat mounds in area(2-3m in diameter) with small black ants. Wolf or coyote scat in ant mound dig.Bear Sign – One scat with small bear claw; another bear or wolf scat full of what looks likebear hair. Devil’s club scat from last year. Fresh 13.5cm track going up Silver Creek; older15cm tracks. Major bear and moose trail near top of Silver Creek fan cutting diagonally toTatshenshini upstream through forest; good trail leads up Silver Creek as well. Black bear seencrossing river from right side to left side downstream of Silver Creek.

TK05 – Downstream side of Silver Creek, Kluane National Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Late Summer – ModerateHighest Encounter Concern: Late Summer – ModerateCampsite Description: Frequent-use campsite. Four tent sites are in high soapberry shrubcover in first clump of cottonwoods from river/creek junction. Old outhouse and stovepipes -signs of hunting camp, but possibly used by rafters. Very heavily used site; first night for mostrafting groups. Pretty good site overall provided people stay in the open.



Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L Summer: L Late Summer: M-HBear Travel Concerns – Moderate. Two creeks come together. Lots of alternatives fortravel, but good route.Visibility Concerns – Low. Open site, unless people are camped back in poplar opening.Camping use mostly confined to river’s edge.Other Sensory Concerns – Low. River noise not too bad.Bear Animal Foods – Low amounts of moose and ant sign.Bear Sign – Black bear seen swimming across river from below Silver Creek camp to left sideof river.

TK06a – Upstream side of Bridge Creek, Kluane National Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Late Summer – ModerateHighest Encounter Concern: Spring, Summer and Late Summer – ModerateCampsite Description: Frequent-use campsite. Sawed fire wood, tent spots. Large beaverpond complex northeast of creek behind campsite through poplar stand; lots of commonhorsetail and some palatable sedges and grasses. Fresh wolf tracks in back channel. Oneeagle’s nest in beaver pond area; another (with one nearly fledgling-aged young) in forestdownstream of Bridge Creek on right side of river.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: H Summer: M Late Summer: M-HBear Travel Concerns – Moderate. Two creeks come together; however, lots of traveloptions.Visibility Concerns – High. Closed-in camping area.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate. Creek and river noise.Bear Animal Foods – Ants - couple of logs pulled apart. Lots of moose sign; lots of tracks inbeaver pond areaBear Sign – Grizzly bear tracks on sand bar. Lots of grizzly and black bear tracks in sand andmud near poplar stand on downstream side. Major bear and moose trail 300 m up from rivertoward beaver pond

TK06b – Downstream side of Bridge Creek, Kluane National Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Late Summer – Low to ModerateHighest Encounter Concern: Late Summer – Low to ModerateCampsite Description: Same as TK06 a. Frequent-use campsite.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L Summer: L Late Summer: MBear Travel Concerns – Moderate. Two creeks come together; however, lots of traveloptions.Visibility Concerns – Low.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate. Creek and river noise.Bear Animal Foods – Same as TK06 a.



Bear Sign – Same as TK06 b.

TT07 – 2-3 km upstream of Quiet Canyon below Bridge River,Tatshenshini-Alsek Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Spring and Summer – ModerateHighest Encounter Concern: Spring, Summer and Late Summer – ModerateCampsite Description: Frequent-use campsite. Large group used site recently. A goodalternative site to Silver Creek or Bridge River; nice view, good tenting/kitchen area. Onlyproblem is there is no water.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: H Summer: M-H Late Summer: MBear Travel Concerns – Low. Lots of alternate travel routes; trails probably in poplar stand.Narrow gravel bar possibly used by bears when travelling.Visibility Concerns – Moderate. Moderate for kitchen area; nice and open, but narrow, linearsite. Low for tents on gravel bar; high for tents in poplar.Other Sensory Concerns – Low. River is not very noisy here.Bear Animal Foods – Moose tracks and scat; evidence of browsing. Ants - under logs; onelarge log rolled over.Bear Sign – Grizzly bear seen upstream with mouth full of horsetail. Several sets of grizzly bearand black bear tracks (17.5 cm and 13 cm) on gravel/sand bar. One week-old feeding oncow-parsnip. Two older common horsetail scats. Mark trail into willows at upper end ofgravel bar (five to six steps only - possibly more but faint). One dried horsetail scat.

TT08 – Cliff face between Quiet Canyon and Detour Creek, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Spring, Summer and Late Summer – ModerateHighest Encounter Concern: Spring, Summer and Late Summer – Low to ModerateCampsite Description: Low-use campsite. Eagle, lynx, and wolf tracks on sand bar.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: M-H Summer: M-H Late Summer: MBear Travel Concerns – Moderate. Funnelled to edge of cliff and either swim across or upand around back side.Visibility Concerns – Low.Other Sensory Concerns – Low. Little noise from river.Bear Animal Foods –Bear Sign – Numerous grizzly bear tracks of various sizes on bar - probably five differentbears. Recent dig in sand near point.

TT09 – Mouth of Detour Creek back channel outlet, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Spring and Summer – Low to ModerateHighest Encounter Concern: Spring, Summer and Late Summer – Low



General Description: Low-use campsite. Sand/gravel bar across Tatshenshini from DetourCreek outlet. Footprints and possible kitchen area; may be just a lunch spot. Poplar forestbehind with common horsetail and patch of sedges; good horsetail on fringe and then peters outin forest. Good site for minimal disturbance.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: M Summer: M Late Summer: L-MBear Travel Concerns – Low.Visibility Concerns – Low.Other Sensory Concerns – Low. River pretty quiet.Bear Animal Foods –Bear Sign – Two sets of bear tracks.

TT10 – Upstream of Bear Bite Creek, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Spring and Summer – Low to ModerateHighest Encounter Concern: Spring and Summer – Low to ModerateGeneral Description: Frequent-use campsite. Well-used site that is similar-looking toSediments Creek; people may think it is Sediments Creek. BC Parks calls the site “Bear BiteCreek” because, apparently, a woman was bitten through her tent by a bear here. Largemountain-avens flats beside multi-braided creek. Surrounded by poplar on two sides.Abundant northern sweet-vetch on mountain-avens bench, but also in poplar/alder stand; first Ihave seen at campsite; quite prolific.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: M-H Summer: M-H Late Summer: MBear Travel Concerns – Moderate. Trail along river leads to camp. Traffic down the creek,likely at the edge of the poplar.Visibility Concerns – Moderate. Blocked on one side; otherwise, quite good.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate. Creek noise somewhat louder here with rushing waterat mouth of creek.Bear Animal Foods – Ants - under rocks and a few old logs; one rock rolled over.Bear Sign – Small grizzly bear tracks along creek; one unknown track near tent. Wildlife trailsalong creek and parallel to river.

Sediments Creek Trail to Grass Knoll

Highest Displacement Concern: Spring – HighHighest Encounter Concern: Summer and Late Summer – HighGeneral Description: Trail goes through good habitat all the way except open mountain-avensflats. Bears in area may not be displaced to same extent as elsewhere because they havebecome used to human traffic. Hikers should remain in open flats, avoid hiking in early morningor late evening, travel in groups and make lots of noise. North side of grass slope is rich in bearfoods such as devil’s club, red currant, red raspberry, and mountain-ash.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: H Summer: H Late Summer: H



Bear Travel Concerns – High.Visibility Concerns – High. Visibility is poor in forest.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate. Wind in aspen and on slope; prevailing from south.Bear Animal Foods – Several ground squirrels on dry, grassy slopes.Bear Sign – Six mark tree sites including those at base of slope off trail (three in forest andthree at base of slope). Couple of probable mark trails. Scat along trails - possibly fieldlocoweed/other vegetation.

TT11 – Upstream side of Sediments Creek, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Summer and Late Summer – ModerateHighest Encounter Concern: Late Summer – ModerateGeneral Description: Frequent-use campsite. Main camp at mouth of creek. Few foodswithin 150m; however, higher risk over by fresh water source and secondary use area at edgeof poplar/aspen stand. Possibly some camping also right in thick soapberry site. Likely somegroups row or drag boats up back channel to fresh water source coming out of wetland.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L Summer: M-H Late Summer: M-HBear Travel Concerns – Moderate. Accesses high value habitat. Two creeks join; hardertravel on the other side.Visibility Concerns – Low. Unless tent near forest; not recommended.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate. Winds up valley; poplar leaves shaking. Some rivernoise.Bear Animal Foods – Ants - rocks rolled; perhaps shallow digs.Bear Sign – Mark tree right by main camp. Many shallow digs in field locoweed andgoldenrod flats, but not sure for what. No bearroot present. Ants associated with many of thedigs - digging for larva? Rocks rolled. Common horsetail scats in field locoweed flats. Blackbear seen feeding on soapberry in poplar stand.

TT12 – Downstream side of Sediments Creek, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Late Summer – HighHighest Encounter Concern: Late Summer – HighGeneral Description: Frequent-use campsite just downstream of creek outlet. Two probablekitchen areas. Lots of tent pads and trails within open poplar/soapberry flats that go back a fairdistance along edge of gravel bar. Gyrfalcon dive-bombing an immature eagle.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L-M Summer: L-M Late Summer: HBear Travel Concerns – Moderate. Some choice of routing, but many trails lead to camp.Visibility Concerns – High. Much more confined site, particularly around kitchen/tent areas.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate. Prevailing wind upstream; noisy creek.Bear Animal Foods –



Bear Sign – Large 18 cm recent grizzly bear tracks through tent site; small grizzly bear tracksnear kitchen; another recent track in tent area. Trail leads up creek to mountain-avens flats;movements through forest stand behind camp. Soapberry feeding near tent area. Scats: onedried soapberry/horsetail; one more recent soapberry/cow-parsnip; one soapberry/cow-parsnip; two common horsetail/soapberry.

TT13 – Upstream side of Alkie Creek mouth, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Spring, Summer and Late Summer – LowHighest Encounter Concern: Spring and Summer – Low to ModerateGeneral Description: Frequent-use campsite. Large mountain-avens flat at mouth of AlkieCreek. Site is just upstream of river mouth.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L Summer: L Late Summer: LBear Travel Concerns – Low. Wide, open spaces; if travel, probably along forest edge.Visibility Concerns – Moderate. Blocked on one side from the kitchen; otherwise, quite open.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate. Alkie Creek is loud; can hear boulders rolling.Prevailing winds upstream.Bear Animal Foods – Ants under rocks, in logs and in sand.Bear Sign – Large grizzly bear tracks in mud at edge of forest island; grizzly bear tracks belowand behind white spruce and by Alkie Creek; one older, smaller grizzly bear track. Wildlife trailon far side (up Alkie Creek) of white spruce forest patch; wraps around near Alkie Creek.One rock rolled.

TT14 – Downstream side of O’Connor River, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Spring – Moderate to HighHighest Encounter Concern: Spring, Summer and Late Summer – Moderate to HighGeneral Description: Frequent-use campsite strung out along edge of poplars and below cliffface. Hundreds of grasshoppers in this area this year. Concerns when people go for water andhike back into thick shrub cover. Should also not tent in thick shrub cover; alternatively, shouldtent in open as much as possible given winds, etc. Much richer habitat on hillside and at base;lots of plant foods. Few foods on flats. Five eagles perched on cliff behind clear creek.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: M-H Summer: M-H Late Summer: MBear Travel Concerns – High. Bears funnelled between rock ridge and main river, if on thisside; steeper rock ridge on far shore. Travel corridor.Visibility Concerns – High.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate. Noise from river; wind coming up the valley.Bear Animal Foods – Are salmon spawning in stream channel? Good ground water source.Lots of winter moose sign.Bear Sign – Old field locoweed scat; common horsetail scat near boat area. Wildlife trail nearcreek. Large male grizzly bear tracks seen earlier on O’Connor River fan.



TT15 – Across from Henshi Creek fan, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Summer and Late Summer – Moderate to HighHighest Encounter Concern: Summer and Late Summer – HighGeneral Description: Frequent-use campsite. Lots of flooded parts of bar. River level hascome up quite a bit in last few days with sunshine. We pulled out on gravel bar downstream ofanother bench; tent rings on gravel bar. Second kitchen/tent area upstream. Not arecommended site.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: M-H Summer: H Late Summer: HBear Travel Concerns – High. Trails right through site.Visibility Concerns – High. Second kitchen/tent area especially.Other Sensory Concerns – High. River loud in this section; prevailing winds upstream - leavestrembling on poplar.Bear Animal Foods – Moose bones with grizzly bear hair; wolf kill?Bear Sign – Black bear came out on channel as we were getting ready to go; watched us for awhile then ambled off. Soapberry feeding sign near second kitchen area. Scats: 1 devil’sclub/soapberry/cow-parsnip; 100% soapberry; 2 field locoweed; 1 devil’s club/horsetail. Twosets of grizzly bear tracks in mud. Trails in forested bench and in flats between two kitchensites. Grizzly bear hair on branch along trail. One poplar mark tree on flats trails at end of thecamp; three white spruce mark trees on bench above second camp area.

TT16 – Downstream side of Henshi Creek up against cliff face, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Spring and Summer – ModerateHighest Encounter Concern: Spring and Summer – ModerateGeneral Description: Low-use campsite. Small site up against cliff face that Gord MacRaehas used. Not sure if other groups would use or not; probably not large commercial group.Fast eddy to get out, but not too bad. Lose sun early. Did not check out forest which is 250-300m away; probably like TT15 site forest.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: M-H Summer: M-H Late Summer: L-MBear Travel Concerns – Moderate. Large rock wall behind site. Bears may use bar to crossriver or this is a dead end.Visibility Concerns – Moderate. Closed in a fair amount in poplar/tent area.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate. Noise of river; winds upstream.Bear Animal Foods – Chinook fry in back channel; second year?Bear Sign – Several sets of grizzly bear tracks in kitchen area. Bearroot digs on bar. Trailalong back channel on camp side.

TT17 – Tats Creek mouth, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Spring, Summer and Late Summer – ModerateHighest Encounter Concern: Spring, Summer and Late Summer – High



General Description: Frequent-use campsite. Small site at mouth of Tats Creek. Recent use;perhaps private group. If there was a bigger site here before it has been washed away partly.Not much room for tents. Likely major travel intersection of bears moving out of Tats Creek.Looks like good side slope habitat up Tats Creek.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L-M Summer: M Late Summer: MBear Travel Concerns – High. Travel corridor near; bears coming out of Tats Creek.Visibility Concerns – High. Surrounded by poplar/alder.Other Sensory Concerns – High. Creek noise; protected from wind.Bear Animal Foods – Low amount of ants.Bear Sign – Grizzly bear seen on fan of Tomanhous Creek; eventually crossed to this side.Appears a bear may have been digging in gravel at kitchen area, but no tracks at spot; onebearroot dig. Several sets of grizzly bear tracks near kitchen and elsewhere on flats - as manyas ten. Good wildlife trail along flats. Old soapberry scat; one devil’s club/currant/unknownscat near camp.

TT18 – Downstream side of Towagh Creek, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Summer and Late Summer – Moderate to HighHighest Encounter Concern: Summer – HighGeneral Description: Frequent-use campsite. Large group site; heavy use. Fan of TowaghCreek. Problems with location of tent area and accessibility of field locoweed in summer andsoapberry in late summer. Also concern with hiking away from tent/kitchen area and trail towater hole behind tent area. Should camp more on fan.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: M-H Summer: H Late Summer: HBear Travel Concerns – Moderate. Towagh Creek.Visibility Concerns – Moderate. Worst back in tent area; water hole; undulating terrain.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate. Noise from river; wind at times. River noise reducedbehind shrub cover.Bear Animal Foods – Some ants.Bear Sign – Possibly locoweed dug up. Two sets of tracks. Soapberry feeding. Rocks rolled.

TT19 – Large gravel bar upstream of Ninetyeighter Creek, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Spring, Summer and Late Summer – LowHighest Encounter Concern: Spring, Summer and Late Summer – Low to ModerateGeneral Description: Low-use campsite. Large gravel and sand bar with few bear foods.Mostly open poplar/alder with lots of northern sweet-vetch.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L Summer: L Late Summer: LBear Travel Concerns – Moderate. Travel on edge of gravel bar and side channel; tracks allover bar, however.



Visibility Concerns – Moderate. Side closed in by alders, but bar visible when not at camp.Other Sensory Concerns – High. River noisy (big water) and prevailing wind upstream.Bear Animal Foods – Lots of ants.Bear Sign – Lots of grizzly and black bear tracks on bar. Wildlife trail that parallels the backchannel of the gravel bar up against the trees. Two balsam poplar mark trees with mark trailwhere sand meets forest at river. Another trail goes upstream through alder fringe. Scats:common horsetail; locoweed; locoweed/black bear hair.

TT20 – Mouth of Ninetyeighter Creek, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Summer and Late Summer – ModerateHighest Encounter Concern: Summer and Late Summer – Moderate to HighGeneral Description: Frequent-use (moderate use) campsite. No firewood, tracks ofnumerous people, not too much trampling. Open creek bottom; raised sandy benches.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: M Summer: H Late Summer: M-HBear Travel Concerns – High. Very well-used trail goes right across fan.Visibility Concerns – Moderate. Quite open site.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate. Noise from river.Bear Animal Foods – Ants dug out of ground and some logs.Bear Sign – Recent field locoweed root diggings. Lots of grizzly bear tracks all over the fan.Very well-used wildlife/bear trail right across fan; most use on west side. Scats: older commonhorsetail/unknown vegetation; older cow-parsnip/unknown vegetation; two old field locoweed.

TT21 – Upstream side of Melt Creek, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Summer – Moderate to HighHighest Encounter Concern: Summer and Late Summer – HighGeneral Description: Frequent-use campsite. Few choices for tent sites because of bigcobbles. Spruce/poplar forest to southeast with shrub moss understory and increased coastalplants in openings. Major bear movements along silt, dry back channel; also people travelling atleast 400 m upstream along same movement area.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L Summer: H Late Summer: M-HBear Travel Concerns – High. Trails converge at site; several trails in area.Visibility Concerns – High. Some screening and undulation; vegetation fairly open.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate. Creek and river noise.Bear Animal Foods – Ants under rocks.Bear Sign – Three field locoweed scats. Female grizzly bear and yearling out on river channellooking for something (fish?); disturbed by something and ran off. On June 19th or 20th,Gordon MacRae and CRE group saw 3-4 year old grizzly bear grazing on locoweed flowers40-50 m away from them just behind campsite. Trail along Melt Creek. Grizzly bear track ontrail. Rock rolled and log pulled apart. Digs in northern ground-cone.



TT22 – Downstream side of Melt Creek, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Summer – Moderate to HighHighest Encounter Concern: Summer – Moderate to HighGeneral Description: This is the large group, frequent use site at Melt Creek. One main siteand two additional use areas across tributary channel of Melt Creek. Trails away from camphave heavy use by humans, especially along river. Tent sites are probably chosen for views ofconfluence right on river bank.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L Summer: H Late Summer: MBear Travel Concerns – Moderate. Some trails, but mostly human; one well-used mark trailalong bench southwest of site.Visibility Concerns – High. Especially around kitchen and near tent sites.Other Sensory Concerns – Low. Unless wind blowing strongly.Bear Animal Foods – Ants - rocks rolled over and logs torn apart.Bear Sign – Bed 150-m southwest of kitchen. Female grizzly bear and yearling in riverchannels toward Petroglyph Island when we were at upstream site. One set of grizzly beartracks on top of very recent human tracks; two sets in creek mud. Poplar mark tree and trailwith 109 pad marks. Scat: locoweed; recent devil’s club/soapberry; three by bed SW of camp(soapberry/devil’s club/field locoweed flower and seed); 1 unidentified berry. At least five fieldlocoweed roots dug and eaten. Probably travel route along bench southwest of camp.

TT23 – Petroglyph Island/ Tat Island, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Late Summer – Low to ModerateHighest Encounter Concern: Spring, Summer and Late Summer – Low to ModerateGeneral Description: Frequent-use campsite at the edge of the island on the north side.Harder to get to now because channels on east side do not have much water. Trail up centre ofisland to petroglyphs on rock outcrop.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L-M Summer: L-M Late Summer: HBear Travel Concerns – Moderate. Intersection of Tatshenshini and Alsek.Visibility Concerns – Low. Low in camp, but moderate on trail.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate. Camp - wind. Moderate on trail.Bear Animal Foods –Bear Sign – Female and yearling seen earlier just upstream of island. Some bear trails. Severalgrizzly bear tracks on sand bar on northwest side of island. Field locoweed flower scat atpetroglyphs.

AT110 – Reynolds Glacier Creek, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Late Summer – Low to ModerateHighest Encounter Concern: Late Summer – ModerateGeneral Description – Frequent use campsite. This campsite has been used on a regular basisby at least two commercial groups. Recently, the extensively braided creek washed out part of



the campsite. At the time of our assessment this campsite was usable although apparently not asdesirable as it has been in the past. Future changes in channel flow may make this campsitemore or less desirable for camping. The campsite is on an extensively braided creek wheremost of the floodplain vegetation is in early succession. There is a rock out crop on thedownstream side of the campsite that has dry site species such as rose and saskatoon and wetseepage species such as highbush-cranberry, devil’s club, false lily of the valley, mountain ash,sweet cicely, foam flower (Tiarella unifoliata) and goat’s beard (Aruncus dioicus). At thebase of the outcrop there is a pocket of horsetail.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L Summer: M-L Late Summer: MBear Travel Concerns – Moderate. The sloping terrain and the relative ease of travel downthe creek may funnel bears through the campsite but bears have alternatives to avoid thecampsite if they detect people.Visibility Concerns – Moderate. The campsite area is open but visibility is obstructed on thedownstream side by the rock outcrop.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate. Winds (people walking up the creek will likely bewalking into prevailing winds)Bear Animal Foods –Bear Sign –grizzly bear tracks – few sets on gravel bar; 2 scats on creek bed

AT111 – Netland Glacier View – Rock Outcrop, Tatshenshini-AlsekPark

Highest Displacement Concern: Summer & Late Summer – ModerateHighest Encounter Concern: Late Summer – Moderate – HighGeneral Description: This frequently used campsite is likely desirable to rafters because thereis shelter from the wind and a spectacular view of the Netland Glacier. The campsite is beside ashort back channel that may be dry at low water levels. The campsite is in a sheltered ‘alcove’that is backed by a steep mountain slope and bordered upstream and downstream by rockridges. There is a relatively large area over which people can camp. The area around thecampsite has patches of tall shrub balsam poplar and patches of willow, alder and soapberry.Herbs in the area include locoweed, horsetail, mountain-avens, and bearroot. At the base ofthe slope there is a wet sandy strip with willow and horsetail. Behind the wet strip there is awide slope of large balsam poplar trees with an under story mixed with devil’s club, alder,goat’s beard, baneberry (Actaea rubra), red currant, sweet cicely, cow parsnip, highbush-cranberry and red-osier dogwood. The rock outcrop on the downstream side of the campsiteis dry, similar to the outcrop at AT110, with highbush-cranberry, saskatoon, rose, kinnikinnickand grasses with patches of devil’s club and ferns.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L-M Summer: M Late Summer: HBear Travel Concerns – High. Bears maybe funnelled through the campsite by the terrain andthe relative ease of travel across open areas. Bears have alternatives to avoid the campsite ifthey detect people.Visibility Concerns – Moderate; visibility concerns are lower in some areas than others.



Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate; windsBear Sign – grizzly bear and black bear tracks – numerous in sandy areas; >8 scats; brokentrails in the poplar/devil’s club stand and a trail that starts at the head of the slough and goes onto the rock ridge

AT112 & AT113 – Island Campsites, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park

Highest Encounter Concern: Summer & Late Summer – Low – ModerateHighest Displacement Concern: Spring, Summer & Late Summer – LowGeneral Description: Frequent-use campsites. There are at least two sites where people arelikely to camp in this area. Campsite AT112 is on an island beside the main stem of the AlsekRiver and at the base of a rock outcrop. Campsite AT113 is between Campsite AT112 andthe mainland and must be accessed through a small side channel. Access to Campsite AT113may be restricted if water levels are low. Both of these campsites are floodplains with sparsevegetation. There is a fringe of balsam poplar at the inland campsite (Campsite AT113).Habitat potential on the mountain slope further inland was not investigated. However, habitatquality is likely to be relatively high similar to mountain slope by Campsite AT111.Seasonal Habitat Potential (Campsite AT112/Campsite AT113)Spring: L/L Summer: L-M/M Late Summer: L-M/MBear Travel Concerns – Low; bears have alternatives to avoid the campsite if they detectpeople.Visibility Concerns – LowOther Sensory Concerns – Moderate; windBear Sign – grizzly bear and black bear tracks, several at both sites; 1 scat; several fresh andold bearroot diggings

AT114 (Field # ATA) – Across from Reynolds Glacier mouth,Tatshenshini-Alsek Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Summer and Late Summer – ModerateHighest Encounter Concern: Summer and Late Summer – ModerateGeneral Description: Found site by chance, but a well-used site. Lousy eddy at the higherwater levels we have now. Channels have changed a lot so it may have been better before.Poplar/mountain-avens bench with fair amount of soapberry and field locoweed. Uniformhabitat on bench with variation in soapberry, field locoweed and kinnikinnick abundant.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L Summer: M-H Late Summer: M-HBear Travel Concerns – Moderate. Trail through camp, but have choice to go around.Visibility Concerns – Moderate. Alternate open and fairly dense poplar around site.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate. River noise; sheltered, but could be windy.Bear Animal Foods – Ants - under logs and rocks.Bear Sign – Trail through camp. Mark tree west of kitchen area. Scat: two old field locoweedflower/grass; one small fresh soapberry/root fibre (possibly field locoweed); one oldersoapberry.



AG201 (Field # AGB) – Upstream of corner to Walker Glacier, GlacierBay National Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Summer – Moderate to HighHighest Encounter Concern: Summer and Late Summer – Moderate to HighGeneral Description: Frequent-use campsite. Small group site below steep talus/avalancheslope. Some movement through and feeding likely good at this site. Some question as towhether this spot is start of ‘border hike’. We saw no sign of hiking on border right of way.Talus could be hiked here to ridge line, but only by experienced hikers.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L-M Summer: H Late Summer: M-HBear Travel Concerns – Moderate. Likely movement onto bar; steep walking downstream onthis side.Visibility Concerns – Moderate; some blockage by shrub cover; fairly open.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate; river noise is not too bad.Bear Animal Foods – Ants.Bear Sign – Grizzly bear tracks in sand. Log pulled apart; field locoweed and grass fed on.Two common horsetail scats on bar; two other field locoweed scats.

AG202 (Field # AGC) – Walker Glacier Trail, Glacier Bay National Park

General Description: Well-used trail leading from use site 1 across undulating terrain andthrough alder/poplar patches and through field locoweed patches. Routed through alternatelyopen and scattered clumps of alder/willow. Several bad visibility spots in thick alder. Poorvisibility in general. Two to four well-used trails follow along moraines on north side of the lake.Difficult to rate trails because there are several trails leading from the different sites.Nevertheless, the worst trail is from first use site in terms of food availability, poor visibility, andnumber of bear scats. It would be better to have one trail along moraines than through shrubarea; that means cutting across flats from first and second use sites. Perhaps a cairn trail toglacier via the moraines rather than have hikers walk through alders/willows or to disperse fromcampsites.Bear Sign – Four northern ground-cone scats near trail from use site 1; another along one ofthe moraine trails.

AG202, sub-sites a-c (Field # AGC a-c) – Walker Glacier, Glacier BayNational Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Summer and Late Summer – ModerateHighest Encounter Concern: Summer and Late Summer – ModerateGeneral Description: Multiple group, heavy use site stretching all along shoreline from largebay around to base of moraine. Three main use areas. Northern sweet-vetch, cow-parsnipand some field locoweed in flower; devil’s club berries green. Phenology is behind here, likelybecause of cold air from the glacier. Keep human use areas predictable to bears.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L-M Summer: H Late Summer: M-H



Bear Travel Concerns – Moderate. Third use area: bears might funnel through to cross thelake mouth. First use area is a problem if bears follow the shoreline of the bay. This is the besttravel side of the river for bears.Visibility Concerns – Moderate; high at first site; low at sites 2 and 3.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate; some river, wind, glacier and rock noise.Bear Animal Foods – Marmots heard whistling in talus slopes to east. Moose sign.Bear Sign – Observed bear sign was dispersed in openings and on moraine. Feeding on cow-parsnip; northern ground-cone dug up. Two old field locoweed and three old, possibly,northern ground-cone scats. Bear bedded on the edge of a moraine; dropped large pies ofpossible northern ground-cone scat. Feeding on locoweed flowers. Three locoweed and oneold common horsetail scat. Numerous sets of tracks.

AG202, sub-site d (Field # AGCd) – Below lake at Walker Glacier,Glacier Bay National Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Spring, Summer & Late Summer – Low to ModerateHighest Encounter Concern: Spring, Summer & Late Summer – ModerateGeneral Description: Small use area; especially now that water levels are high and channel atsite is flooded.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L Summer: L Late Summer: LBear Travel Concerns – Moderate. Probably use next strip of land for moving past lake, butcould come by here.Visibility Concerns – Moderate; some blocked vision.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate; river noise, possibly wind at times.Bear Animal Foods –Bear Sign – One set of old tracks.

AG203 (Field # AGD) – Below standing waves upstream of NovatakGlacier (‘Purple Haze’?), Glacier Bay National Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Spring, Summer and Late Summer – LowHighest Encounter Concern: Spring, Summer and Late Summer – Low to ModerateGeneral Description: Not a frequently-used site; certainly not used recently. Two potential useareas that Ramona treated as one campsite. Mostly hard packed gravel substrate with mossgrowing on it. Openings have lots of broad-leaved willowherb, willow and poplar. Closed,dense alder/willow with patchy common horsetail, one-sided wintergreen, etc.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L Summer: L Late Summer: LBear Travel Concerns – Low. Travel possible on both sides of the river. No real funnel; lotsof room to move around.Visibility Concerns – Moderate. Fairly open but obscured behind campsites; some concern ifpeople wander around.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate; some noise from the river; possible wind noise.



Bear Animal Foods – Lots of winter and some recent moose sign.Bear Sign – Two old northern ground-cone scats. One old track.

AG204 (Field # AGE) – Upstream from Novatak Glacier creek mouth(‘Purple Haze #2’?), Glacier Bay National Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Spring, Summer and Late Summer – LowHighest Encounter Concern: Spring, Summer and Late Summer – LowGeneral Description: Large group site but not high use judging by level of impact. Weexpected much higher use for site called ‘Novatak Glacier’ in the campsite use reports. Site usemay be dispersed like at AG203 (firewood, etc.) and all be given the same name or we havenot found it yet. Large cobble fan of glacier runoff channel for substrate with patches of smallergravel for tents. Patches of broad-leaved willowherb, ground shrub willow, field locoweed,moss ground cover.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L Summer: L Late Summer: LBear Travel Concerns – Low. Traffic from Novatak has lots of choice; could travel edge ofdense shrub. No food to draw bears here. More food on slopes to west.Visibility Concerns – Low.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate. River noise; possible wind.Bear Animal Foods – Moose scat and one track.Bear Sign –

AG205 (Field # AGF) – upper Alsek Lake spit, Glacier Bay NationalPark

Highest Displacement Concern: Spring and Late Summer – Moderate to HighHighest Encounter Concern: Spring and Late Summer – Moderate to HighGeneral Description: Starting to see large, robust bearroot plants rather than all northernsweet-vetch as seen upstream. Undulating terrain, but only scattered willow with understory ofbearroot, ground shrub willow, mountain wormwood, field locoweed, yarrow, etc. Humantracks wandering around all over spit; many upstream for some reason, but most cross over tothe lake side of the spit.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: H Summer: M Late Summer: M-HBear Travel Concerns – Moderate. Dead end on peninsula, but bears probably swim thelake; come out to investigate or feed and then travel through.Visibility Concerns – Moderate. Some open; some obscured.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate. River noise; wind.Bear Animal Foods – Numerous winter moose scats. Small mammal; possibly ground squirrel.Bear Sign – Three to four fresh digs on way back to camp; bearroot dig at second camp; lotsof digs through shrubs all along shore and in back channels - very abundant. Two sand pitbeds. Five old tracks; recent female grizzly and coyote tracks. Scats: one old vegetation; one



fresh devil’s club/cow-parsnip; one old bearroot/ possible field locoweed flowers; three oldbearroot; one old common horsetail.

AG206, subsites a & b (Field # AGGa & b) – Alsek Lake spit, GlacierBay National Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Spring and Late Summer – Moderate to HighHighest Encounter Concern: Spring and Late Summer – Moderate to HighGeneral Description: Well-used campsite on middle portion of spit is AG206a. GordMacRae says he often camps here. Heavy use site at end of spit is AG206b. Several humantrails between AG206 a and b. See site AG205 for general notes on the area.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: H Summer: M Late Summer: M-HBear Travel Concerns – High. Spit narrows and bears have no choice to cross river/lake.Visibility Concerns – Moderate. Undulating terrain; some shrub cover.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate. River noise; wind; iceberg.Bear Animal Foods – Tracks that look like ground squirrel.Bear Sign – Lots of bearroot digs toward lake behind site AG206a and toward AG205 (seenotes for AG205). Large grizzly bear track.

AG207 (Field # AGH) – Gateway Knob, Glacier Bay National Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Late Summer – ModerateHighest Encounter Concern: Summer and Late Summer – Low to ModerateGeneral Description: Large, multi-use group sites. Heaviest use statistics for the two riversfrom takeout surveys. Large rock island with channel on right side that is only filled at higherwater levels. Lake to west. Steep hillside behind camps.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L-M Summer: M Late Summer: M-HBear Travel Concerns – Low. Bears probably travel on other side of knob or other shore.Visibility Concerns – Low. Unless people go back in alders which is unlikely.Other Sensory Concerns – Low. Unless wind is high; ice flipping and washing sounds; waveson shore.Bear Animal Foods – One marmot seen; another heard whistling.Bear Sign –

AG208 (Field #AGI) – Across from Gateway Knob; edge of lake nearmouth, RR, Glacier Bay National Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Spring – ModerateHighest Encounter Concern: Spring – ModerateGeneral Description: Large group, infrequent use site on edge of right channel aroundGateway Knob near where enter river channel to Dry Bay. Same area we camped in last year,although we had camped a little farther north.Seasonal Habitat Potential



Spring: H Summer: L-M Late Summer: MBear Travel Concerns – Low. Bears cut corner here and seem to hug shrubs; could comealong shore, but options to avoid this camp.Visibility Concerns – Low. Open around campsite.Other Sensory Concerns – Low. Wind, waves and cracking ice.Bear Animal Foods – Lots of moose sign: tracks, browsing, summer scat.Bear Sign – Bearroot digs very abundant along the edge of the medium density alder; northernground-cone and two old bearroot digs.

AG209 (Field # AGJ) – Alsek Lake dunes area near outlet of lake, RL,Glacier Bay National Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Summer – Low to ModerateHighest Encounter Concern: Spring and Summer – Low to ModerateGeneral Description: Quite high use site, but mostly private groups.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L-M Summer: M Late Summer: LBear Travel Concerns – Moderate. Traffic in area; easiest out in open site, but can go up nextbench or further uphill.Visibility Concerns – Low. Open site.Other Sensory Concerns – Low. Possible wind; ice noise.Bear Animal Foods –Bear Sign – One large and one small older grizzly bear track; three sets of grizzly bear tracks allover sand.

AG210 (Field # AGK) – Island along Alsek River above Dry Baypullout, Glacier Bay National Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Spring, Summer and Late Summer – LowHighest Encounter Concern: Summer – Low to ModerateGeneral Description: Hector MacKenzie indicated that he camped on this island. No sign ofuse, but some potentially on gravel bar on downstream point.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: L Summer: L-M Late Summer: LBear Travel Concerns – Low. Island in channel; bear would have to come here deliberately.Visibility Concerns – Moderate. Tall alder close by.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate. River noise.Bear Animal Foods – Gulls’ eggs and nesting pair of mew gulls.Bear Sign – Bearroot digs right in camp. One northern ground-cone scat. One old grizzly beartrack.

AG211 (Field # AGL) – Dry Bay pullout campsite and airstrip, GlacierBay National Park

Highest Displacement Concern: Spring, Summer and Late Summer – Low



Highest Encounter Concern: Spring, Summer & Late Summer – Low to ModerateGeneral Description: Pullout site for all river trips. Many commercial groups come out on theday they fly out. Private groups frequently camp, however. Constant quad traffic on roadthrough site, especially now during fishing season. Fish plant just down the road and fishermenfishing and leaving nets, etc. on shore. Possibility for food conditioned bear to develop. How isgarbage handled? Waste water from fish? guts, etc.? Bear root at ranger station.Seasonal Habitat PotentialSpring: M Summer: M Late Summer: MBear Travel Concerns – Low.Visibility Concerns – Low.Other Sensory Concerns – Moderate. Quads, planes; drone in background.Bear Animal Foods –Bear Sign – Grizzly bear seen feeding just across the channel on the next gravel bar; somedigging - likely bearroot and strawberry. One recent scat and another older one in camp -grass/other vegetation. Lupine roots look like they have been dug and fed upon in three placesalong the airstrip fringe.



Appendix 3. A proposed bear observation form for use on the Tatshenshini River andAlsek River (adapted from Kluane National Park’s Bear Observation Form).

risk assessment of bear – human interaction at campsites ... · renewable resources. this project...

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